- Date
- May 29, 2007, 08:15 local (12:15 UTC)
- Place
- Las Piedras, PR
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N63HDHughes 269A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 25, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20070529010929A
- Case key
- 65873
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 failure of the non-certificated pilot to maintain a proper rate of descent during the autorotative landing following a reported loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, resulting in a hard 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
The pilot stated that he took off from his home airstrip, and during the initial climb at 350 feet and 55 mph, the engine quit. At the time there were power lines in front of him so he opted to make a left 90-degree auto rotation. The helicopter was landed hard causing damage to the tail boom of the helicopter. The passenger stated that about 40 seconds after takeoff, he heard a "pop pop" noise. The aircraft started a fast descent and impacted the ground. His injuries include a burst L1 vertebra. Examination of the helicopter was performed by an FAA airworthiness inspector, which revealed the engine was turned by hand without binding. The aircraft's spark plugs were in good condition and the fuel filter was clean and non-obstructed; fuel was noted in the filter. The flight controls were found to be free and moving. No anomalies with the aircraft or engine were reported by the FAA inspector. Inspection of the aircraft's logbooks revealed that the last annual inspection was performed on June 01,1997.
Factual narrative
The non-certificated pilot stated he took off from his home and during the initial climb at 350 feet and 55 mph, the engine quit. At the time there were power lines in front of him so he opted to make a left 90-degree auto rotation. The helicopter was landed hard causing damage to the tail boom of the helicopter.
The passenger stated that about 40 seconds after takeoff, he heard a "pop pop" noise. The aircraft started a fast descent and impacted the ground. His injuries include a burst L1 vertebra.
Examination of the helicopter was performed by an FAA airworthiness inspector, which revealed the engine was turned by hand without binding. The aircraft's spark plugs were in good condition and the fuel filter was clean and non-obstructed; fuel was noted in the filter. The flight controls were found to be free and moving. No anomalies with the aircraft or engine were reported by the FAA inspector.
Inspection of the aircraft's logbooks revealed that the last annual inspection was performed on June 01,1997.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N63HD
- Reported as
- Hughes 269A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 67-16906
- Airframe hours
- 98
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360 SER, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Thunderbird Helicopters FLA
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 1, 1997 · 65 hours before
- Departed
- PR07 · Las Piedras, PR
- Destination
- PR07 · Las Piedras, PR
- Airport
- PR07 · Boqueron
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
- 57
- Injuries
- Minor
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 98 total · 98 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- TJNR
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.