Hughes 269C N8615E

Summary

On 10 August 1985 at about 19:07 local time, a Hughes 269C registered N8615E was involved in an accident near Altoona, Pennsylvania, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

10 August 1985 at 19:07

Classification

Accident

Location

Altoona, Pennsylvania, United States

Coordinates

40.5599, -78.3690

Aircraft

Hughes 269C

Registration

N8615E

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Patton → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC85LA181

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

THE HELICOPTER WITH CFI/OWNER AND STUDENT WHO WAS FLYING FROM THE LEFT SIDE OVER HIGH TERRAIN AT ABOUT 70 MPH REPORTED A GRADUAL LOSS OF POWER. THE CFI TOOK CONTROL AND ATTEMPTED TO EFFECT AN AIRSTART. THIS WAS WITHOUT SUCCESS. THE PLT THEN ATTEMPTED TO ARREST THE DESCENT BUT ACFT IMPACTED THE GROUND WITH SUCH FORCE IT BROKE UP ON IMPACT. BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT SKIDS COLLAPSED, TAIL BOOM AND ROTOR WERE SEPARATED AT APRX THE 180 STATION, AND LOCATED APRX 25 FT FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE. DUAL CONTROLS WERE INSTALLED, EXCEPT ON THE RIGHT SIDE THERE WERE NO TORQUE PEDALS ATTACHED TO THE TORQUE CONTROL STUBS. INSPECTION OF THE ACFT AND ENG DISCLOSED ONE MAGNETO WAS OFF ON IT'S TIMING AND THE MAGNETO HAD LOST APRX 43% OF IT'S MAGNETISM. BOTH MAGNETOS CONTAINED OIL AND CARBON BRUSH WEAR.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.