- Date
- May 5, 1991, 05:30 local (09:30 UTC)
- Place
- Lincoln Park, NJ
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N3TLHughes 269B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Status
- Completed · report May 27, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 36919
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
An inflight loss of control during a hover due to improper use of the flight controls by the pilot and the failure of the pilot to completely use the minimal visual references available.
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
The pilot brought the helicopter to a low hover. In the hover, the pilot lost visual reference and entered a right turn, rotating 270 degrees prior to the pilot initiating corrective action. The helicopter rotated another 180 degrees to the right prior to touching down. During touchdown, the right skid broke off and the helicopter rolled over on its right side. The takeoff was attempted prior to sunrise and the pilot had a mechanic shine a flashlight on the dual tach for illumination. There were minimal outside references. When interviewed after the accident the pilot said he lowered the collective, however, he did not roll off the throttle or use full left pedal. Post accident examination of the helicopter disclosed no evidence of a pre existing failure or malfunction with the helicopter.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3TL
- Reported as
- Hughes 269B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 34-0042
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry · Part 91
- Operator
- Dennis Leaver
- Registered owner
- Dennis Leaver
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Unknown · January 2, 2000
- Destination
- N53 · East Stroudsber, PA
- Airport
- N07 · Lincoln Park
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 42
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 2,200 total · 1,000 in this make and model · 1,900 as pilot in command · 60 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None