# NTSB NYC98LA025: Hughes 269B, N2273W, Cleveland, OH, October 31, 1997 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 31, 1997, 14:16 local (19:16 UTC) - Place: Cleveland, OH - Coordinates: 41.519493, -81.679031 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.5195&lon=-81.6790&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 30, 1998 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 39498 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC98LA025 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/39498/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC98LA025 ## Probable cause the pilot's failure to recover from settling-with-power. Factors relating to the accident were: the pilot's downwind approach and low airspeed. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, approach - weather condition - tailwind (contributing factor) - airspeed - low, pilot in command (contributing factor) - settling with power - not corrected, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled ## Analysis The pilot reported that while flying in wind reported at 20 knots, he encountering winds up to 35 knots. During a downwind approach to the airport, the pilot could neither arrest his descent with collective nor maintain directional control with anti-torque pedals. The helicopter spun to the right during the uncontrolled descent and crashed. The pilot said: '...the engine was at redline and I was running out of collective. It spun around to the right again and to the ground.' ## Factual narrative On October 31, 1997, at 1416 eastern standard time, a Hughes 269B, N2273W, was substantially damaged during a hard landing on a roadway, following an uncontrolled descent while on approach to the Burke Lakefront Airport (BKL), Cleveland, Ohio. The certificated commercial pilot and two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for sightseeing flight that originated at BKL, at 1400. No flight plan was filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. In a telephone interview , the pilot stated he was approximately 1,200 feet mean sea level (msl) and turning the helicopter to parallel the runway at BKL, heading in a northerly direction. The pilot said he noticed the airspeed had decayed to 35 - 40 knots. He said he pushed forward cyclic to increase airspeed and the helicopter failed to respond. The pilot said he announced to BKL Tower, "I have a problem, I'm coming back..." and initiated a descent towards the airport. The pilot said his airspeed continued to decay throughout the descent. Approximately 150 feet above ground level (agl) and "zero" airspeed, the helicopter entered an uncommanded 360 degree spin to the right that could not be stopped with input to the tail rotor (anti-torque) pedals. The pilot said he regained heading control for 3 - 5 seconds after the first spin. At 30 feet agl, the pilot said, "...the engine was at redline and I was running out of collective. It spun around to the right again and to the ground." An inspection of the helicopter's flight control systems was conducted by two Aviation Safety Inspectors of the Federal Aviation Administration. According to their statement, the inspection revealed that: "No abnormalities or excessive play was noted, and continuity existed in the collective, cyclic and tail rotor control systems. All controls moved freely and functioned normally." In a written statement, the pilot reported he encountered a 35 knot crosswind during descent. Weather observed at Burke Lakefront at the time of the accident was: ceiling 10,000 feet broken and 15 statue miles visibility; the temperature was 68 degrees and the dewpoint was 45 degrees; the wind was from 180 degrees at 20 knots. Examination of the voice communication tapes from Burke Lakefront Tower revealed that, prior to takeoff, the pilot requested a departure to the south. He said: "I'd like to take off to the south. I'd like to use this wind as much as I can...I've got too much tailwind for the load that I've got." According to the United States Army Field Manual 1-203, Fundamentals of Flight: "Conditions conducive to settling with power are a vertical or near-vertical descent of at least 300 feet per minute and low forward speed. The rotor system must be using some of the available power (from 20-100 percent) with insufficient power available to retard the sink rate. These conditions can occur during downwind approaches...applying collective pitch can aggravate power settling." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2273W](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2273W-2015-05-19), registration cancelled 2015-05-19, S/N 790431, built 1969 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Hughes 269B - Registry model: [Hughes 269B](https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-269b) (registry code 4470502) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming HIO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-hio-360-series) (registry code 41524, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 790431 - Airframe hours: 3491 - Engines: Lycoming HIO-360-AIA 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 91 - Registered owner: Richard B. Demchuk - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 10, 1997, 51 hours before - Departed: BKL - Airport: BKL, Burke Lakefront ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 33; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: right; flight hours: 612 total, 297 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 20 knots - Visibility: 15 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 10,000 ft broken - Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 45 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: BKL ## 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 19971031031619A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971031031619A), Oct 31, 1997: Hughes 269B, Cleveland, OH, Substantial damage. Allowed airspeed decay. Entered right spin to ground. No anomalies. Indicates lost tail rotor effectiveness. (.4)the pilot reported that while flying in wind… 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.