Hughes 269C N8656F

Summary

On 30 March 1991 at about 22:35 local time, a Hughes 269C registered N8656F, operated by Hawaii International HEL., was involved in an accident near Honolulu, Hawaii, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

30 March 1991 at 22:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Honolulu, Hawaii, United States

Coordinates

21.3493, -157.8797

Aircraft

Hughes 269C

Registration

N8656F

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Hawaii International HEL.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX91LA152

Nobody was injured.

THE INSTRUCTOR'S IMPROPERLY PLANNED APPROACH. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBSERVE PERFORMANCE DATA FOR THE HELICOPTER.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE CERTIFICATED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR ENTERED A NORMAL PRACTICE AUTOROTATION. HE NOTED ROTOR IN THE GREEN, 55 KIAS, AND THE AIRCRAFT IN TRIM. JUST PRIOR TO THE ALTITUDE WHERE HE WOULD HAVE BEGUN A DECELERATION, ABOUT 50-100 FEET AGL, HE NOTED THE AIRSPEED HAD BLED TO ABOUT 20 KIAS AND THE AIRCRAFT HAD DEVELOPED A HIGH RATE OF DESCENT. HE ATTEMPTED TO PERFORM A POWER RECOVERY, BUT THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO DESCEND AND LANDED HARD. THE TAIL ROTOR SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED BACK INTO THE AIR. THE AIRCRAFT AGAIN LANDED HARD, THEN ROLLED OVER. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK, THE ALTITUDE AND AIRSPEED WHERE THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A RECOVERY WAS WITHIN A FLIGHT AVOIDANCE AREA, WHICH PREVENTED THE PILOT FROM PERFORMING REMEDIAL ACTION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.