# NTSB FTW94LA061: Hughes 369HS, N7092Q, Mason, TX, January 1, 1994 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: December 31, 1993, 19:30 local (Jan 1, 1994, 01:30 UTC) - Place: Mason, TX - Coordinates: 30.739393, -99.229171 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.7394&lon=-99.2292&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor - Status: Completed, report November 10, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 18984 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW94LA061 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/18984/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW94LA061 ## Probable cause LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, cruise - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - light condition - bright night - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled ## Analysis WHILE ON A CROSS-COUNTRY, THE HELICOPTER ENTERED UNCONTROLLED FLIGHT. THE STUDENT PILOT/PASSENGER TOOK OVER CONTROL AS THE PILOT WAS UNRESPONSIVE TO HIM. THE STUDENT PILOT WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL. JUST PRIOR TO LANDING, THE PILOT GRABBED THE CONTROLS, AND THE HELICOPTER AGAIN ENTERED UNCONTROLLED FLIGHT, THEN IMPACTED THE GROUND ON ITS LEFT SIDE. A FIRE FOLLOWED THE IMPACT, AND THE STUDENT PILOT/PASSENGER EXTRICATED THE PILOT FROM THE WRECKAGE. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. VISUAL BRIGHT NIGHT CONDITIONS PREVAILED. ## Factual narrative On December 31, 1993, at 1930 central standard time, a Hughes 369HS helicopter, N7092Q, was destroyed on impact following an uncontrolled descent approximately 12 miles southwest of Mason, Texas. The pilot received serious injuries, the student pilot passenger minor injuries, and the helicopter was destroyed. The flight departed Kimble County Airport, Junction City, Texas, approximately 20 minutes prior to the accident. A VFR flight plan was filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed for this personal transportation flight with a destination of Orlando, Florida. According to the pilot, the helicopter began to side slip and he interpreted this to be a tail rotor failure. He said he entered autorotation and impacted the ground during the flare. Information in this paragraph is based on the passenger's statement. The helicopter began to turn to the right and he asked the pilot what was going on. The pilot did not respond and he was unresponsive and appeared to be in a dazed state. The helicopter then pitched nose down followed by a nose up pitch to near vertical. The helicopter then entered a spiral. During the spiral, the passenger took control of the helicopter and entered autorotation. He noted that during the autorotation, all controls responded normally. During the flare, the pilot grasped the controls and rolled the helicopter into a left wing down attitude and it struck the ground and began to burn. The passenger pulled the pilot from the burning helicopter, made him comfortable, and proceeded to walk for help. (See passenger statement). Due to a chip light indication on the tail rotor gear box the previous day, and maintenance performed as a result of the light, an examination of the tail rotor assembly and tail rotor gear box was conducted at the facilities of McDonnell Douglas on March 14, 1994. The examination was witnessed by an FAA airworthiness inspector from the Scottsdale, Arizona, Flight Standards District Office. No evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction of the tail rotor drive, assembly, or gear box was found. Based on information provided by the student pilot passenger, discussions were held with Dr. DeJohn at The FAA Civil Aviation Medical Institute (CAMI), regarding possible pilot incapacitation. As a result of those discussions, Dr. De John expressed the opinion that the pilot displayed symptoms of atypical epileptic form seizure. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7092Q](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7092Q-2013-09-24), registration cancelled 2013-09-24, S/N 550743S, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: HUGHES 369HS - Registry model: [Hughes 369HS](https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-369hs) (registry code 4470728) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Allison 250-C20 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c20-series) (registry code 03020, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 3690754 - Airframe hours: 4447 - Engines: ALLISON 250-C20 400 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Deer, Robert - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, October 28, 1993, 37 hours before - Departed: JCT, JUNCTION, TX - Destination: ORL, ORLANDO, FL - Flight plan: VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 38; flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 2,118 total, 433 in this make and model, 2,041 as pilot in command, 77 in the last 90 days, 53 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/bright - Wind: 260° at 9 knots - Visibility: 30 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19931231050909A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19931231050909A), Dec 31, 1993: Hughes 369HS, Mason, TX, Destroyed. While on a cross-country, the helicopter entered uncontrolled flight. The student pilot/passenger took over control as the pilot was unresponsive to him. The… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.