- Date
- August 29, 1984, 15:15 local (20:15 UTC)
- Place
- Witts Springs, AR
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N7487FHughes 269C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19840829044449A
- Case key
- 33782
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
While manuevering at an alt of 35 to 40 ft above tree the plt felt a shutter and low frequency shaking of the rotor disk. Rotor RPM and engine RPM decreased and the acft entered a shallow descent. The plt applied forward cyclic, reduced collective and increased throttle. With insufficient alt to recover the plt maneuvered the acft away from tall trees and settled the acft into an area of small trees. No mechanical failure/malfunction was found. The alt at the accident site was 2000 ft MSL with a density alt of aprx 4500 ft MSL.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7487F
- Reported as
- Hughes 269C
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 470589
- Airframe hours
- 3,200
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360-D1A, 190 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Zane M. Anderson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 30, 1984 · 30 hours before
- Departed
- Russellville, AR
- Airport
- Russellisville Municipal
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
- 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
- 2,128 total · 138 in this make and model · 1,365 as pilot in command · 90 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 102 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N7487F · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.