- Date
- May 24, 1990, 09:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Madera, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N530RHughes 369FF
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 23, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900524017309A
- Case key
- 26817
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 for undetermined reasons. Contributing to the accident was the unsuitable terrain encountered by the pilot when he turned during the autorotative descent to avoid obstacles.
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 helicopter lost power during an out of ground effect (oge) hover, autorotated to a cultivated field, and rolled onto its side. The helicopter hovered at 110 feet preparing to hook up an external load. The pilot heard a 'whoosh' sound and entered autorotation with turn. The pilot maneuvered the helicopter about 180 degrees due to obstacles and autorotated into a soft plowed field. The helicopter touched down with forward momentum. The helicopter then pitched tail up allowing the forward portion of the main rotor disk to strike the ground. The helicopter then rolled onto its side. Examination of the maintenance and flight department records revealed no unresolved maintenance discrepancies against the helicopter before the accident. The helicopter engine was examined. The engine was placed in a test cell and was run in several different fuel flow configurations. There were no deficiencies noted.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N530R
- Reported as
- Hughes 369FF
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0005F
- Airframe hours
- 2,319
- Engine
- Allison 250 C30, 650 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 133
- Operator
- Rogers Helicopters, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Roger'S Helicopters
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 55
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 7,416 total · 1,159 in this make and model · 7,021 as pilot in command · 106 in the last 90 days · 63 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.