Hughes 269C N9297F

Summary

On 18 January 2000 at about 23:30 local time, a Hughes 269C registered N9297F was involved in an accident near Sherwood, Oregon, 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

18 January 2000 at 23:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Sherwood, Oregon, United States

Coordinates

45.3502, -122.8606

Aircraft

Hughes 269C

Registration

N9297F

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Starks Twin Oak → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA00FA038

Nobody was injured.

The pilots failure to arrest the helicopter's descent rate during a planned approach to a hover. Factors include uneven terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot and pilot rated passenger were practicing a pinnacle approach, terminating to a hover, over a gravel pile in the confines of a rock quarry. The commercial pilot stated that during the transition to a hover the helicopter continued to settle and the aircraft's left skid collided with the top of the pile. The pilot added full collective and left cyclic without a notable response. The helicopter continued to roll to the right and down the embankment. After the accident, the pilot reported that a dynamic roll over had occurred. Examination of the helicopter and associated system components revealed no evidence of a mechanical malfunction or failure.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.