# NTSB LAX92LA326: Hughes 369D, N64MK, Honolulu, HI, July 31, 1992

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: July 31, 1992, 11:40 local (21:40 UTC)
- Place: Honolulu, HI
- Coordinates: 21.349349, -157.880905 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=21.3493&lon=-157.8809&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report September 14, 1993
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 27712
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX92LA326
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/27712/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX92LA326

## Probable cause

THE STUDENT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS DURING AN ATTEMPTED RECOVERY FROM AN OVER ROTATION DURING THE FLARE, AND, THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF THE FLIGHT.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown
  - autorotation - initiated, dual student
  - flare - excessive, dual student (cause)
  - recovery from bounced landing - improper, dual student (cause)
  - rotorcraft flight controls - improper use of, dual student (cause)
  - supervision - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (cause)

## Analysis

ACCORDING TO THE STATEMENTS BY BOTH PILOTS, THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO CHECK OUT A NEW FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR ON THE HELICOPTER TYPE.  WHILE PRACTICING AN AUTO ROTATION TO TOUCHDOWN, THE NEW FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR OVER ROTATED DURING THE FLARE AND SCRAPED THE TAIL SKID ON THE PAVEMENT.  IN HIS STATEMENT, THE NEW FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR SAID HE THEN PULLED UP ON THE COLLECTIVE AND THE HELICOPTER BALLOONED UPWARD TO ABOUT 15 FEET AGL.  THE MAIN ROTOR SPEED WAS LOW, AND, AS A RESULT, THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD. THE MAIN ROTOR THEN FLEXED DOWNWARD AND SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM.  THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WHO WAS CHECKING OUT THE NEW PILOT SAID HE HAD HIS HANDS ON THE CONTROLS DURING THE MANEUVER BUT WAS 'UNABLE TO CORRECT FOR THE UNEXPECTED INPUT BY [THE STUDENT]' IN TIME TO PREVENT THE BALLOON AND THE SUBSEQUENT HARD LANDING.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N64MK (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES 369D
- Category: Helicopter
- Serial number: 890565D
- Airframe hours: 7415
- Engines: ALLISON 250-C20B 317 horsepower turbo shaft
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Pce, Ltd., doing business as Makani Kai
- Registered owner: Pce, Ltd.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, July 10, 1992, 10 hours before
- Airport: HNL, Honolulu International, runway 8, 12,300 × 150 ft, concrete

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 25; flight instructor, commercial; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 871 total, 145 in this make and model, 819 as pilot in command, 183 in the last 90 days, 56 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 80° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 81 °F, dew point -0 °F

## 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 19920731028639A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19920731028639A), Jul 31, 1992: Hughes 369D, Honolulu, HI, Substantial damage. Over rotated on landing flare after practice autorotations. Hit tail,ballooned. Impacted hard. Rotors chopped tail.

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.

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