Hughes 369D N29707

Summary

On 25 September 1985 at about 01:00 local time, a Hughes 369D registered N29707, operated by Michael G. Dawson, was involved in an accident near Porterville, California, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

25 September 1985 at 01:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Porterville, California, United States

Coordinates

35.9602, -118.9207

Aircraft

Hughes 369D

Registration

N29707

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Michael G. Dawson

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fresno → Las Vegas

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX85LA403

2 people were seriously injured.

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

AFTER CLIMBING TO A CRUISE ALT OF 13500 FT MSL TO CROSS THE SIERRA NEVADA MOUNTAINS, SOUTH OF MT WHITNEY, THE PLT ENTERED CRUISE FLT AT AN INDICATED AIRSPEED OF APRX 120 TO 130 KTS. THE PLT'S FLT MANUAL LISTS 110 KTS AS THE VELOCITY VELOCITY TO NEVER EXCEED AT THIS PRESSURE ALT AND TEMP. THE PLT STATED THAT HE FIRST FELT A RAPID VIBRATION IN THE ANTI-TORGUE PEDALS. HE SAID HE THEN ENTERED A DESCENT. AS THE ACFT DESCENDED TO APRX 300 FT AGL IT WAS JOLTED AND DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS LOST. THE PLT STATED THAT HE MADE AN UNCONTROLLED FORCED LANDING AND CRASHED ON A MOUNTAIN AT AN ELEVATION OF 9000 FT. BOTH THE PLT AND HIS PASSENGER SURVIVED FOR 2 1/2 DAYS BEFORE BEING FOUND BY HUNTERS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.