- Date
- May 29, 2007, 16:55 local (23:55 UTC)
- Place
- Torrance, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N935MHughes 369D
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 25, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20070529013429A
- Case key
- 65877
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
The pilot's loss of helicopter control while maneuvering at low altitude, which resulted in a hard landing. The wind gusts were a contributing factor.
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 stated that he intended to practice autorotations and hovering at the airport. Upon arriving at the airport practice area, he began 360-degree hovers. During one of the hovers, he lost control of the helicopter and it landed hard. Wind gusts were reported at the time of the accident which the pilot thought contributed to the loss of helicopter control. During the hard landing, the skids split and the tail boom was bent. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that he intended to practice autorotations and hovering at the airport. Upon arriving at the airport practice area, he began 360-degree hovers. During one of the hovers, he lost control of the helicopter and it landed hard. Wind gusts were reported at the time of the accident which the pilot thought contributed to the loss of helicopter control. During the hard landing, the skids split and the tail boom was bent. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N935M
- Reported as
- Hughes 369D
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1111125D
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- SMO · Santa Monica, CA
- Destination
- TOA · Torrance, CA
- Airport
- TOA · Zamperini Field Airport
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 62
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight engineer, Commercial, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2
- Flight hours
- 3,475 total · 460 in this make and model · 40 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.01 inHg
- Observed at
- TOA
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.