- Date
- January 27, 1993, 09:15 local (15:15 UTC)
- Place
- Pascagoula, MS
- Injuries
- 2 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N6612CHughes 369D
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 10, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930127002499A
- Case key
- 33220
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
Loss of engine power due to undetected foreign matter contamination of the engine fuel control. The lack of a suitable landing area was a facotr in the accident.
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 he was about 4 miles from the airport at 300 feet when the helicopter yawed and the engine out light and audio warnings came on. He then noticed the auto reignition light on. The engine lost power and the helicopter would not maintain altitude. He initiated an autorotation, and the helicopter descended through trees and collided with water. The helicopter then rolled on to the right side and filled with water. The crew exited the helicopter. After spending 1 day at the crash site awaiting rescue the crew walked to safety. Postcrash examination of the engine assembly revealed no evidence to indicate the reason for power loss. Examination of the engine fuel system revealed the fuel control inlet screen was clogged with metal contamination and was bypassing the filter. No other evidence to indicate the reason for loss of power was noted.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6612C
- Reported as
- Hughes 369D
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 780314D
- Airframe hours
- 2,222
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20B, 420 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry · Part 91
- Operator
- Haverfield Corporation
- Registered owner
- Rock And Bobby Riggs
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · January 26, 1993 · 1 hours before
- Departed
- GPT · Gulfport, MS
- Flight plan
- VFR
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 31
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 9,500 total · 4,500 in this make and model · 9,400 as pilot in command · 120 in the last 90 days · 85 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 10° at 13 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MOB, 22 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.