- Date
- July 22, 1987, 11:18 local (15:18 UTC)
- Place
- Bedford, MA
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8384FHughes 369D
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 14, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 30699
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.
Loss of engine power
Autorotation - performed
Loss of control - in flight
Directional control - not maintainedCause
Rotor rpm - not maintainedCause
Roll over
Analysis
During a practice autorotation with power recovery, the rotor RPM bled off. Directional control was lost and the helicopter turned several times before hitting the ground. The helicopter rolled to the left and came to rest on its side.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8384F
- Reported as
- Hughes 369D
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1260051D
- Airframe hours
- 4,479
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20B, 420 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Trafficopters, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 12, 1987
- Departed
- BED · Bedford, MA
- Airport
- BED · Hanscome Field
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 35
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 4,633 total · 2,000 in this make and model · 4,535 as pilot in command · 192 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BED, 5 nm away