- Date
- July 18, 1991, 07:25 local (12:25 UTC)
- Place
- Brickeys, AR
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N11XCHughes 269B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 23, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910718027969A
- Case key
- 23269
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The failure of the clutch control cable due to fraying which initiated the forced landing and the operator's failure to perform recommended inspections on the aircraft. Factors were the pilot's failure to maintain rotor RPM and the unsuitable terrain.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The aircraft impacted vertically in a heavily wooded swamp. Evidence indicated that the aircraft impacted with a high vertical rate of descent and low rotor RPM. Investigation revealed that the belt drive clutch engagement cable had separated due to abrasion caused by internal contact between the cable and assembly components. Separation of the cable resulted in a disconnect between the engine and the transmission. Review of the aircraft maintenance records could not determine the exact total time on the cable; however, the records did indicate that the cable had last been disassembled and inspected about 636.8 hours before the accident. A manufacturer's service information notice had been issued on the cable assembly which required an initial inspection within 50 hours and a recurring inspection every 400 hours thereafter, until the unit was replaced with an improved model. The aircraft maintenance records did not indicate compliance with the information notice; however, the operator stated that the inspections were being performed.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N11XC
- Reported as
- Hughes 269B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 64-102
- Airframe hours
- 3,877
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360-A1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Operator
- Southern Flying Service, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Southern Flying Service, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 14, 1992 · 17 hours before
- Departed
- MO1 · Memphis, TN
- Destination
- 55M · Star City, AR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 50
- Certificates
- Private, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 6,498 total · 539 in this make and model · 6,598 as pilot in command · 266 in the last 90 days · 74 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 100° at 4 knots, gusting 2
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 12,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MEM, 28 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N11XC · 4
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.