- Date
- August 19, 1984, 11:25 local (15:25 UTC)
- Place
- Fishers Island, NY
- Injuries
- 2 minor, 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N6666CHughes 369D
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 35744
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.
On ground/water encounter with terrain/water
Emergency procedure - simulated
Autorotation - intentional
Flight controls - improper use ofCause
Remedial action - performed
Cyclic - improper use ofCause
Analysis
The certified flt instructor (CFI) stated that he was teaching his student autorotation's to touchdown. He continued to state that his student applied too much left pedal just prior to touchdown. This caused the helicopter to yaw to the left. The CFI stated he immediately applied right pedal and the helicopter straightened out but just as they touched down, the student pulled back on the cyclic causing the tail to hit the ground.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6666C
- Reported as
- Hughes 369D
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 990D
- Airframe hours
- 283
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20B, 375 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- James R. Sowell
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · January 12, 1984 · 8 hours before
- Departed
- FOK · West Hampton, NY
- Destination
- 87N · South Hampton, NY
- Airport
- OB8 · Elizabeth Field, runway 7, 2,054 × 150 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 37
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 9,703 total · 230 in this make and model · 120 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 55 °F