# NTSB SEA04LA011: Hughes 269C, N7452F, Hillsboro, OR, October 26, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 26, 2003, 12:15 local (20:15 UTC) - Place: Hillsboro, OR - Coordinates: 45.423889, -122.941108 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.4239&lon=-122.9411&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 2, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 58238 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA04LA011 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/58238/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA04LA011 ## Probable cause The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for a practice auto rotation landing. A contributing factor was the soft terrain. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Nose down, landing - roll - terrain condition - soft (contributing factor) - unsuitable terrain or takeoff/landing/taxi area - selected, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The flight instructor initiated a demonstration of a low altitude auto-rotation while moving forward in a hover at a "brisk walk." The planned touchdown site was to a grassy area slightly east of the runway environment and upon touchdown, the helicopter's skids encountered soft terrain and dug in and the helicopter rocked forward up onto the toes of the skids. Immediately thereafter, the main rotor blades contacted the ground and the helicopter came to rest on the forward skid toes and the main rotor mast. The instructor reported that there was no mechanical malfunction with the helicopter at the time of the event and the terrain at the selected site for the auto rotation was soft. ## Factual narrative On October 26, 2003, approximately 1215 Pacific standard time, a Hughes 269C helicopter, N7452F, registered to and being operated/flown by a commercially rated flight instructor, sustained substantial damage during a nose down event following a low altitude auto-rotation landing at the Stark's Twin Oaks Airpark, Hillsboro (7S3), Oregon. Both the flight instructor and the pilot under instruction were uninjured. Visual meteorological conditions existed and no flight plan had been filed. The flight, which was instructional, was operated under 14CFR91, and originated from the Hillsboro airport (HIO), Hillsboro, Oregon, at 1145 on the morning of the accident. The instructor reported to an inspector assigned to the Hillsboro Federal Aviation Administration's Flight Standards District Office that he was in control of the helicopter, which was moving forward in a hover at a "brisk walk." He initiated a demonstration of an auto-rotation while in the forward hover to a grassy area slightly east of the runway environment and upon touchdown, the helicopter's skids encountered soft terrain and dug in and the helicopter rocked forward up onto the toes of the skids. Immediately thereafter, the main rotor blades contacted the ground and the helicopter came to rest on the forward skid toes and the main rotor mast. The instructor reported that there was no mechanical malfunction with the helicopter at the time of the event and the terrain at the selected site for the auto-rotation was soft. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7452F](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7452F), registered now, S/N 760522 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Hughes 269C - Registry model: [Hughes 269C](https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-269c) (registry code 4470504) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 760522 - Airframe hours: 2481 - Engines: Lycoming HIO-360-D1A 190 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Saviage, Stanley L. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, August 13, 2003, 55 hours before - Departed: HIO, Hillsboro, OR - Airport: 7S3, Stark's Twin Oaks Airpark ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 44; injuries: none; flight instructor, private, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review May 19, 2002; seat: right; flight hours: 2,753 total, 1,483 in this make and model, 1,984 as pilot in command, 97 in the last 90 days, 43 in the last 30 days - Student pilot; injuries: none - Student pilot; age 50; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, multi-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review March 21, 2002; seat: left; flight hours: 2,543 total, 24 in this make and model, 2,452 as pilot in command, 36 in the last 90 days, 25 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 30.40 inHg - Observed at: HIO, 7 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20031026026899A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20031026026899A), Oct 26, 2003: Hughes 269C, Hillsboro, OR, Substantial damage. (-23) During an instructional, while hover taxiing, the instructor initiated a hovering autorotation, on touchdown, the skids sank into the soft surface… ## Other investigations on N7452F (1) 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. - [NTSB WPR23LA105](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA105), Feb 6, 2023: Hughes 269C (N7452F), Yakima, WA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to see and avoid a powerline while flying at low altitude over a river. 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.