- Date
- November 8, 1994, 14:45 local (20:45 UTC)
- Place
- Monticello, AR
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N10415Hughes 269A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 18, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 19300
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 loss of engine power due to a fatigued rod end bolt. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for landing.
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
During spraying operations the helicopter lost engine power and the pilot entered an autorotation. During the descent the pilot became aware of a pile of logs in his path so he extended the glide. Touchdown was made to the only space available and the aircraft sank into soft/wet mud and rolled onto its side. An examination of the aircraft revealed the loss of engine power was due to a failed piston rod end retaining bolt.
Factual narrative
On November 8, 1994, at 1445 central standard time, a Hughes 269A, N10415, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Monticello, Arkansas. The airplane, operated by ARKLATEX Helicopters, Inc., and flown by a commercial pilot, was on a local controlled burning defoliation flight. There was no flight plan filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured.
According to the pilot, he lost engine power and initiated an autorotation. During the descent, he extended his glide in order to clear a pile of logs. The aircraft subsequently touched down in a mud hole and rolled over on its right side. The pilot stated that after extricating himself from the wreckage, he noticed a piston push rod protruding from the case. He also reported that "suitable terrain for landing was not available in the immediate area."
An examination of the aircraft revealed that it had sustained substantial damage to the airframe and dynamic components. The examination also revealed that the fuel system maintained its integrity and contained approximately 12 gallons of fuel. The engine casing exhibited evidence that a malfunction of the rod had occurred. Additional examination of the engine revealed that the rod end bolts had failed. Two bolts were forwarded to the National Transportation Safety Board's Metallurgical Laboratories for detailed examination. Their examination revealed that the rod end bolts had failed in "fatigue" and that the bolt exhibited "fretting." Physical evidence demonstrated that the bolt "may have been initially installed with insufficient torque or became loose during service."
The helicopter and all retained parts were released to the owner.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N10415
- Reported as
- Hughes 269A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 76-0629
- Airframe hours
- 5,157
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360-B1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Ark-La-Tex Helicopters, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Anderson, Carl And Lisa
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 20, 1994 · 36 hours before
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
- 31
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,736 total · 780 in this make and model · 2,516 as pilot in command · 36 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PBF, 35 nm away
Other investigations on N10415 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.