- Date
- June 24, 1996, 09:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Las Cruces, NM
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N521TCHughes 369HE
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 24, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960624015059A
- Case key
- 19882
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 pilot's failure to maintain clearance between the tail rotor and a fence while hovering.
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 a landing hover (IGE), the tail rotor struck the top of a chain link fence and the tail rotor and gearbox separated from the aircraft. Subsequently, during the spinning of the helicopter, the pilot lowered the collective, the left skid struck the ramp, and the helicopter came to a stop on its left side.
Factual narrative
On June 24, 1996, at 0900 mountain daylight time, a Hughes 369HE, N521TC, struck a fence while hovering at the Las Cruces International Airport, Las Cruces, New Mexico. The helicopter was registered to Hex Corporation of Wilmington, Delaware, and operated by a private owner under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a VFR flight plan was filed for the personal cross country flight. The commercial pilot and the 3 passengers were not injured and the helicopter sustained substantial damage. The flight departed Globe, Arizona, 2 hours before the accident.
During personal telephone interviews, conducted by the investigator-in-charge, with the pilot, local authorities, the airport manager, and the FAA inspector, the following information was revealed. The helicopter approached the ramp parking area from a taxiway parallel to the ramp. During the landing, after the left skid had contacted the ramp, the pilot brought the helicopter to a hover. While hovering (IGE), the tailrotor struck the top of a chain link fence and the tailrotor and gearbox separated from the aircraft resulting in a loss of control. Subsequently, during the spinning of the helicopter, the pilot lowered the collective, the left skid struck the ramp, and the helicopter came to a stop on its left side. Damage was reported to the tailrotor, tailboom, gearbox, skids, and main rotor blades.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N521TC
- Reported as
- Hughes 369HE
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1090201E
- Airframe hours
- 5,822
- Engine
- Allison 250C-18B, 317 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Werner Hagel
- Registered owner
- Hex Corporation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 10, 1996 · 21 hours before
- Departed
- P13 · Globe, AZ
- Destination
- LRU
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- LRU · Las Cruces International
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
- 46
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 240 total · 120 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LRU
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.