- Date
- October 1, 1992, 07:12 local (14:12 UTC)
- Place
- Hillsboro, OR
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Uncontrolled descent
- Aircraft
- N7400FHughes 269C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 14, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19921001042969A
- Case key
- 42946
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 in command's failure to maintain proper altitude during the hover. Factors contributing to the accident were the pilot in command's lack of total experience in rotorcraft and his diversion of attention while hovering.
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
While engaged in a hover the ATP rated pilot, who had only 9.0 hours of rotorcraft time of which 3.5 hours were solo, allowed the helicopter to descend and slip aft. During the ensuing ground collision the helicopter rolled over and the main rotor blades impacted the ground. The pilot reported that he diverted his attention to a departing business jet during which time the ground collision occurred.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7400F
- Reported as
- Hughes 269C
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 250397
- Airframe hours
- 1,952
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360-D1A, 190 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Wilson, Jerry L., doing business as Hangar 53
- Registered owner
- Wilson, Jerry L.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 29, 1992 · 15 hours before
- Airport
- HIO · Portland-Hillsboro
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
- 31
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 6,083 total · 9 in this make and model · 5,885 as pilot in command · 209 in the last 90 days · 50 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N7400F · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.