Hughes 500D N8352F

Summary

On 9 March 1986 at about 20:15 local time, a Hughes 500D registered N8352F was involved in an accident near Mt. Crawford, Virginia, United States. 4 people were on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

9 March 1986 at 20:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Mt. Crawford, Virginia, United States

Coordinates

38.3504, -78.9396

Aircraft

Hughes 500D

Registration

N8352F

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Shendandoah → Mt. Jackson

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

BFO86FA018

1 person was 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 REFUELING AT SHENANDOAH VALLEY AIRPORT LOCATED NEAR STAUNTON, VIRGINIA, THE HELICOPTER CLIMBED TO ABOUT 1800 FEET MSL ON A NORTH HEADING. APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE A LOUD RUMBLE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE AIRCRAFT AND THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE AND ROLLED OFF THE THROTTLE. THE STUDENT PILOT, SITTING IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT, STATED THAT AFTER THE PILOT INITIATED THE FLARE, THE HELICOPTER 'HUNG IN THE AIR FOR A MONENT AT APPROX. 30' AGL THEN DROPPED TO THE GROUND AND ROLLED OVER.' DISASSEMBLY OF THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE GEAR ASSEMBLY REVEALED THAT THE OUTPUT DRIVE PINION HAD FAILED. LABORATORY EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE FRACTURE SURFACES REVEALED MARKINGS TYPICAL OF FATIGUE PROGRESSION. MCDONNELL DOUGLAS HELICOPTER COMPANY HAD ISSUED AN ENGINEERING ORDER #139419 WHICH CONCERNED REWORKING THE DRIVE PINION, HOWEVER, A SERVICE BULLETIN WAS NOT ISSUED REGARDING THE NEED TO REWORK THE PINION AT OVERHAUL.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.