# NTSB SEA05CA168: Hughes 269A, N488MC, Ashland, OR, August 12, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: August 11, 2005, 18:00 local (Aug 12, 2005, 01:00 UTC) - Place: Ashland, OR - Coordinates: 42.191665, -122.661109 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.1917&lon=-122.6611&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 27, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 62200 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA05CA168 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/62200/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA05CA168 ## Probable cause The inability of the dual student to maintain directional control of the helicopter during the landing roll when the left skid sank into an area of thick, soft, sticky tar, and the instructor pilot's improper decision to perform a full-down autorotational landing to a surface which had already shown itself to be soft. Factors include a soft, sticky landing surface, and high temperature that contributed to the softening of the landing surface. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - directional control - not possible, dual student (cause) - planning/decision - improper, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - soft (contributing factor) - weather condition - temperature,high (contributing factor) ## Analysis After arriving at Ashland Airport, the dual-student and the instructor performed hovering exercises, hovering autorotations, and hovering loss of tail rotor effectiveness (LTE) maneuvers. They next performed some stuck-pedal exercises on a parallel taxiway, and then performed a series of run-on landings to runway 30. The last maneuver was a full-down autorotation to runway 30. The maneuver was initiated about 300 feet above ground level (agl), and the flare was started about 50 feet agl. According to both the student and the instructor, the flare and touchdown were performed correctly, and were uneventful. The helicopter then slid directly down the runway for about 150 feet, but just prior to coming to a normal stop (at about five knots), the left skid sank into some soft tar on the runway surface. The helicopter then veered abruptly to the left, and rolled over onto its right side. When the occupants got out of the helicopter, they found that the tar in the area where the aircraft rolled over was thick, soft, and sticky. In a post accident interview, both the student and the instructor said that when they departed Medford for Ashland, they were not aware that the Ashland Airport runway surface was made of chip-seal (a combination of tar and crushed rock). According to the instructor, although the runway surface did not seem to present any problem during the run-on landings, he did notice that when they came around the pattern for subsequent maneuvers that he could see imprints in the surface from the previous skid contacts. The instructor further noted that the temperature at the time of the accident was just over 90 degrees, and that on the previous two days the temperature had reached about 100 degrees. He also stated that the runway surface was inconsistent, in that some areas contained more rock in the composite, and some areas contained more tar in the composite. ## Factual narrative On August 11, 2005, approximately 1800, Pacific daylight time, a Hughes 269A helicopter, N488MC, impacted the runway surface during a practice full-down autorotation at Ashland Municipal Airport, Ashland, Oregon. Neither the flight instructor nor his dual student were injured, but the aircraft, which is owned and operated by Crater Aviation, of Medford, Oregon, sustained substantial damage. The 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, which was being conducted in visual meteorological conditions, was practicing proficiency maneuvers in the pattern at Ashland Municipal at the time of the accident. No flight plan had been filed. There was no report of an ELT activation. According to the instructor pilot, who had not conducted training at Ashland Municipal before, after initially departing Medford, Oregon, he and his student flew directly to Ashland to practice a series of proficiency maneuvers. After arriving at Ashland, they performed hovering exercises, hovering autorotations, and hovering loss of tail rotor effectiveness (LTE) maneuvers. They next performed some stuck-pedal exercises on a parallel taxiway, and then performed a series of run-on landings to runway 30. The last maneuver was a full-down autorotation to runway 30. The maneuver was initiated about 300 feet above ground level (agl), and the flare was started about 50 feet agl. According to both the student and the instructor, the flare and touchdown were performed correctly, and were uneventful. The helicopter then slid directly down the runway for about 150 feet, but just prior to coming to a normal stop (at about five knots), the left skid sank into some soft tar on the runway surface. The helicopter then veered abruptly to the left, and rolled over onto its right side. When the occupants got out of the helicopter, they found that the tar in the area where the aircraft rolled over was thick, soft, and sticky. In a post accident interview, both the student and the instructor said that when they departed Medford for Ashland, they were not aware that the Ashland Airport runway surface was made of chip-seal (a combination of tar and crushed rock). According to the instructor, although the runway surface did not seem to present any problem during the run-on landings, he did notice that when they came around the pattern for subsequent maneuvers that he could see imprints in the surface from the previous skid contacts. The instructor further noted that the temperature at the time of the accident was just over 90 degrees, and that on the previous two days the temperature had reached about 100 degrees. He also stated that the runway surface was inconsistent, in that some areas contained more rock in the composite, and some areas contained more tar in the composite. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N488MC](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N488MC-2021-03-20), registration cancelled 2021-03-20, S/N 680885 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Hughes 269A - Registry model: [Schweizer TH55A/269A](https://openairdocs.org/model/schweizer-th55a-269a) (registry code 8059503) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 680885 - Engines: Lycoming HIO-360-B1A reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Jordan Aircraft Services, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: KMFR, Medford, OR - Destination: S03, Ashland, OR - Airport: S03, Ashland Municipal, runway 30 ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 29; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2; flight hours: 701 total, 169 in this make and model, 129 in the last 90 days, 88 in the last 30 days - Student pilot; age 28; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1; flight hours: 1,606 total, 10 in this make and model, 157 in the last 90 days, 57 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day ## 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 20050811018899A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050811018899A), Aug 11, 2005: Hughes 269A, Ashland, OR, Substantial damage. (-23) While practicing autorotations student pilot lost control and helo flipped over. Time of accident: 1753 PDT, 0053 UTC. 2 POB, no injuries, substantial… ## Other investigations on N488MC (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 CEN12CA402](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12CA402), Jun 26, 2012: Schweizer TH55A/269A (N488MC), Grinnell, IA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s inadequate compensation for the wind during a hovering maneuver, which resulted in a loss of tail rotor effectiveness and directional control. 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.