# NTSB NYC02TA123: Hughes 369D, N40AP, Jeffersontown, KY, June 26, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Final report - Date: June 26, 2002, 19:15 local (23:15 UTC) - Place: Jeffersontown, KY - Coordinates: 38.2, -85.566665 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.2000&lon=-85.5667&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 16, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 55044 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC02TA123 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/55044/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=55044 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC02TA123 ## Probable cause The flight instructor's loss of lateral control when his foot slipped off the rudder pedal during a power-off, running landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - Roll over, landing ## Analysis The flight instructor was demonstrating a simulated engine failure during a takeoff. He began the maneuver from a 4-foot hover, and about 15 knots, as the helicopter was passing through translational lift, he rolled the power to ground idle. He performed a running landing; however, shortly after ground contact, his left foot slipped off the rudder pedal, and the helicopter's left skid dug into the ground. The helicopter then rolled to the left, and came to rest on its side. The flight instructor stated that he thought the helicopter had run over a rut during the running landing, which caused his foot to come off the rudder pedal. ## Factual narrative On June 26, 2002, about 1915 eastern daylight time, a Hughes 369D, N40AP, operated by the Jefferson County Police Fiscal Court, was substantially damaged during a hover taxi simulated engine failure near Jeffersontown, Kentucky. The certificated flight instructor and the certificated private pilot were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. No flight plan had been filed for the local flight, which originated at the Jefferson County Police Heliport, Louisville, Kentucky. The instructional flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to the flight instructor, the flight departed the police heliport about 1845. The private pilot, who was only rated in single engine land airplanes, initially practiced hovering and autorotations from a hover in a small field behind the heliport. He then flew the helicopter to another field about 4 miles to the east, and performed a running landing. After the running landing was completed, the flight instructor took control of the helicopter, and advised the private pilot that he would demonstrate a simulated power failure "while hover taxiing or prior to takeoff." The flight instructor began the maneuver from a 4-foot hover. About 15 knots, as the helicopter was passing through translational lift, the flight instructor rolled the power to ground idle and performed a running landing. Shortly after ground contact, the flight instructor's left foot slipped off the rudder pedal, the helicopter slid to the left, and the left skid dug into the ground. The helicopter then rolled to the left, and came to rest on its side. The flight instructor further stated that he thought the helicopter had run over a rut during the running landing, which caused his foot to come off the rudder pedal. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N40AP](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N40AP-2007-06-11), registration cancelled 2007-06-11, S/N 1000825D, built 1980 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Hughes 369D - Registry model: [Hughes Helicopters HUGHES 369D](https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-helicopters-hughes-369d) (registry code 4470706) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Allison 250 SER 250HP](https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-ser-250hp) (registry code 03002, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 825D - Airframe hours: 15548 - Engines: Allison 250-C20B 420 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Jefferson County Police Fiscal Court - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, May 21, 2002, 48 hours before - Departed: NONE, Louisville, KY ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 48; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review January 17, 2001; seat: right; flight hours: 1,704 total, 1,657 in this make and model, 1,623 as pilot in command, 20 in the last 90 days, 11 in the last 30 days - Pilot; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 210° at 11 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft broken - Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 29.93 inHg - Observed at: SDF, 10 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20020626038399A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020626038399A), Jun 26, 2002: Hughes 369D, Louisville, KY, Substantial damage. (-23) On June 26, 2002, at approximately 1915 EDT, a Hughes 369D received substantial damage resulting from an after landing rollover. The instructor pilot and… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 5, 2002, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=55044. 304 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 304 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40447055&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.