Hughes 369D N5102Z

Summary

On 27 May 1984 at about 23:30 local time, a Hughes 369D registered N5102Z, operated by DR. L.l. Hyde, was involved in an accident near Kearney, Nebraska, United States. 5 people were on board and one died, 3 were seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

27 May 1984 at 23:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Kearney, Nebraska, United States

Coordinates

40.6994, -99.0797

Aircraft

Hughes 369D

Registration

N5102Z

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

DR. L.l. Hyde

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Cornstock → Kearney

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MKC84FA147

1 person died.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

DURING RETURN TO ARPT FROM A LOCAL FLIGHT, THE PLT DIVERTED TO OBSERVE PROPERTY OF A PERSONAL FRIEND, LOCATED ALONG A RIVER BANK. THE PLT WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN ABOUT 200 FT AGL AT 40 TO 50 KTS AIRSPEED WHEN VIBRATION WAS FELT IN THE ANTI-TORQUE PEDALS & THE ACFT ENTERED AN UPRIGHT, VERTICAL DESCENT, SPINNING ABOUT THE VERTICAL AXIS UNTIL IMPACTING THROUGH THE ROOF OF A METAL STORAGE BUILDING LOCATED ON THE PROPERTY. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION EXCEPT FOR A SLIGHT FLUCTATION IN THE FREE TURBINE GOVERNOR & FUEL CONTROL WHEN THE ENGINE WAS TEST RUN IN IT'S POST-CRASH CONDITION. THE PLT OF THE MEDICAL RESCUE HELICOPTER RESPONDING TO THE SCENE STATED HE HAD DIFFICULTY CONTROLLING HIS ACFT IN THE VICINITY OF THE CRASH DUE TO TURBULENCE AND DOWNDRAFTS IN A 20 KT WIND ASSOCIATED WITH DENSE FOREST ALONG THE RIVER.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.