Hughes 369D N34CM

Summary

On 19 October 1996 at about 19:45 local time, a Hughes 369D registered N34CM was involved in an accident near Watkins, Colorado, 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.

Date

19 October 1996 at 19:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Watkins, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Front Range (FTG)

Coordinates

39.7506, -104.5991

Aircraft

Hughes 369D

Registration

N34CM

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Englewood → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW97LA021

Nobody was injured.

The flight instructor's improper decision to attempt a hovering autorotation during gusty wind conditions. A factor was the gusty wind.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The instructor was demonstrating autorotation techniques to his student. He stated at a speed of less than 10 knots, he entered a 'hovering auto(rotation)' to runway 17 from an altitude of 3 feet agl. He estimated the wind to be from 170 degrees at 12 to 15 knots. Recorded wind at Denver International Airport, located 10 miles northwest of the accident site, was from 290 degrees at 12 knots. The helicopter touched down and the main rotor blades struck the tail boom. The pilot said this was a 'fairly common occurrence' with this particular helicopter make and model operating under 'low rotor rpm and gusty wind.' A spokesman for the helicopter manufacturer said that if the helicopter had been landed upwind, the accident would not have occurred. He added that if gusty wind conditions were present, autorotation demonstrations should not have been attempted.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.