FTW96LA375

NTSB accident investigation · Hughes 269B · Frisco, TX · September 1, 1996

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
September 1, 1996, 17:30 local (22:30 UTC)
Place
Frisco, TX
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N9558FHughes 269B
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report May 23, 1997
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19960901025739A
Case key
19969

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's improper touchdown procedure.

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.

Hard landingLanding - flare/touchdown
Touchdown - improperPilot in commandCause
Lack of certificationPilot in command

Analysis

According to the operator, the pilot requested to rent a helicopter. He showed the operator his pilot certificate and flight log book; however, the operator did not record this information nor obtain a current address and telephone number. The pilot was not given a check out in the helicopter prior to the accident flight. The operator observed the pilot hover the helicopter, takeoff and depart the traffic pattern. The operator subsequently received a telephone call from the pilot stating he had landed the helicopter 'hard' at the North Dallas Jetport, which was under construction, and requested to be pick up. When the operator arrived at the North Dallas Jetport, he found the helicopter on its side, and the pilot could not be located. Injury is presumed. There were no reported eye witnesses to this accident. The FAA has no record of the named pilot having either an airman or a medical certificate. .

Factual narrative

On September 1, 1996, about 1730 central daylight time, a Hughes 269B helicopter, N9558F, registered to C and J Communications Inc., and operated by Addison Helicopters as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, was substantially damaged during a hard landing near Frisco, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed. The pilot was reported as not injured. The local flight originated from Addison Airport, Dallas, Texas, about 30 minutes before the accident.

According to the operator, the pilot requested to rent a helicopter. He showed the operator his pilot certificate and flight log book; however, the operator did not record this information nor obtain a current address and telephone number. The pilot was not given a check out in the helicopter prior to the accident flight; however, the operator observed the pilot hover the helicopter, takeoff and depart the traffic pattern. The operator received a telephone call from the pilot stating he had landed the helicopter "hard" at the North Dallas Jetport, which was under construction, and requested to be pick up. When the operator arrived at the North Dallas Jetport, he found the helicopter on its side, and the pilot could not be located. There were no reported eye witnesses to this accident.

Examination of the helicopter by a FAA inspector on September 5, 1996, at the Wills Point Airport revealed that all main rotor blades were damaged, the skid tubes and their fuselage attaching mounts were fractured, the tail rotor drive shaft was twisted nearly 180 degrees, and the tail rotor was damaged.

The FAA has no record of the named pilot having either an airman or a medical certificate.

Aircraft

Registration
N9558F
Reported as
Hughes 269B
Category
Helicopter
Serial number
890441
Engine
Lycoming HIO-360-A1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Addison Helicopters
Registered owner
C And J Communications, Inc.
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Departed
ADS · Dallas, TX
Airport
NONE · North Dallas Jetport

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
Certificate
Commercial
Instrument ratings
Helicopter
Medical
Unknown, Unknown
Seat
Left
Flight hours
10,000 total · 200 in this make and model

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
90° at 5 knots
Visibility
12 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
79 °F, dew point 66 °F
Altimeter
29.00 inHg
Observed at
DAL, 17 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.