- Date
- October 11, 1991, 14:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Hyder, AK
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- CGKHRHughes 369D
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 5, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 41605
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 failure of the tail rotor hub assembly. Factors include unsuitable terrain, and high vegetation.
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 Hughes 369D was returning to a load pick up point when the pilot felt and heard a vibration, which seemed to be coming from the area of the tail rotor. The pilot rolled back the power, and began an autorotation. As he increased power and collective, to maneuver for the flare, he heard two loud bangs come from the tail rotor area. This was followed immediately by an uncontrolled rotation of the airframe. He attemptted to apply full up collective just prior to impact, but hit the terrain with considerable force.
Aircraft
- Registration
- CGKHR
- Reported as
- Hughes 369D
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 690531D
- Airframe hours
- 5,145
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20B, 375 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 133
- Operator
- Vancouver Helicopters
- Registered owner
- Vancouver Helicopters
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · September 18, 1991 · 17 hours before
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 44
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 5,500 total · 4,000 in this make and model · 5,450 as pilot in command · 300 in the last 90 days · 50 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 45° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 39 °F