- Date
- October 10, 2004, 12:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Minerva, OH
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N7423FHughes 269C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 28, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20041010029319A
- Case key
- 60360
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 pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter during liftoff.
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
As the pilot lifted the helicopter off the ground, it began to "tilt forward." In an attempt to recover the pitch attitude, the pilot pulled back on the cyclic, and at the same time, the tail boom impacted the ground, and separated from the helicopter. The pilot reported no mechanical deficiencies with the helicopter.
Factual narrative
On October 10, 2004, at 1200 eastern daylight time, a Hughes 269C, N7423F, was substantially damaged during liftoff from the Minerva Airport (OH15), Minerva, Ohio. The certificated private pilot and two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the flight which was destined for the Barber Airport (2D1), Alliance, Ohio. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
According to the pilot, as he lifted the helicopter off the ground, it began to "tilt forward." In an attempt to recover the pitch attitude, the pilot pulled back on the cyclic, and at the same time, the tail boom impacted the ground, and separated from the helicopter.
The pilot reported receiving his private pilot certificate approximately 2 weeks prior to the accident. At the time of the accident, he had accumulated 76 hours of flight time, in make and model. Additionally, the pilot reported no mechanical deficiencies with the helicopter.
Examination of the helicopter by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed substantial damage to the tail boom and main rotor blades.
The winds reported at Barber Airport, about 17 miles to the northwest of Minerva, were from 360 degrees at 6 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7423F
- Reported as
- Hughes 269C
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 660512
- Airframe hours
- 4,481
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360, 190 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Dennis Philippi
- Registered owner
- Dennis Philippi
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 1, 2004 · 204 hours before
- Departed
- OH15 · Minerva, OH
- Destination
- 2D1 · Alliance, OH
- Airport
- OH15 · Minerva Airport
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
- 51
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- August 1, 2004
- Flight hours
- 286 total · 76 in this make and model · 120 as pilot in command · 45 in the last 90 days · 27 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,400 ft broken
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.22 inHg
- Observed at
- CAK, 17 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.