Hughes 369HS N74AW
18 August 1994 · Custer, South Dakota, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 18 August 1994 at about 20:45 local time, a Hughes 369HS registered N74AW, operated by Wild West Helo Tours, Inc, was involved in an accident near Custer, South Dakota, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 20:45
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Custer, South Dakota, United States
- Coordinates
- 43.7601, -103.6004
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369HS
- Registration
- N74AW
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Wild West Helo Tours, Inc
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- CHI94LA287
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Probable cause
the pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain on which to perform an autorotation. A factor in this accident was the hidden obstruction.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE PILOT WAS PRACTICING AUTOROTATIONS IN HIS HELICOPTER. DURING HIS SECOND AUTOROTATION THE HELICOPTER'S SKID COLLIDED WITH A ROCK CAUSING THE HELICOPTER TO ENTER GROUND RESONANCE. THE PILOT SAID THE HELICOPTER'S ROTOR BLADES BEGAN '...GYRATING OUT OF THE NORMAL PATH...' STRIKING THE AIRFRAME NUMEROUS TIMES. THE PILOT SAID THE ROCK HIS AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH WAS OBSCURED BY GRASS AND THAT HE DID NOT SEE IT. HE SAID HE DID SEE OTHER ROCKS OUT IN FRONT OF HIS AIRCRAFT AS IT DESCENDED.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Hughes 369 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 Sep 1994 | Hughes 369D | Pacific Ocean | Caribbean Fishing Co. | Serious injuries | - |
| 10 Jun 1994 | Hughes 369D | Snoqualmie, Washington, United States | Highline Helicopters | No injuries | - |
| 1 Jan 1994 | Hughes 369HS | Mason, Texas, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 3 Jul 1994 | Hughes 369HS | West Jordan, Utah, United States | Scenic Helicopters | No injuries | - |
| 22 Jun 1994 | Hughes 369HS | Sarasota, Florida, United States | Hover Flight, Inc. | Serious injuries | - |
| 26 Mar 1994 | Hughes 369D | Hi. Nat'l Park, Hawaii, United States | Mauna KEA Helicopters | Minor injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 May 1994 | Weatherly 620 | Ridgeview, South Dakota, United States | Terry Gross | No injuries | - |
| 22 Jun 1994 | Ayres S2R | Letcher, South Dakota, United States | Lemaul C. Shattuck | No injuries | - |
| 2 Aug 1994 | Cessna 172 | Aberdeen, South Dakota, United States | Albert LEA Aircraft, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 2 May 1994 | Maule M-7-235 | McIntosh, South Dakota, United States | Sperber, Eugene J. | Fatal | 2 |
| 23 Jan 1994 | Cessna 150L | Waubay, South Dakota, United States | Miller Aviation, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 11 Mar 1994 | Piper PA-18-150 | Ottumwa, South Dakota, United States | Cecil G. ICE | No injuries | - |