Hughes OH-6A N42SD

Summary

On 29 May 2002 at about 14:00 local time, a Hughes OH-6A registered N42SD was involved in an accident near Angola, New York, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 May 2002 at 14:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Angola, New York, United States

Coordinates

42.6664, -78.9964

Aircraft

Hughes OH-6A

Registration

N42SD

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Hamburg → Angola

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC02TA104

2 people had minor injuries.

The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While conducting a normal landing, approximately 75-100 feet above the ground, the certified flight instructor (CFI) observed the student pilot begin to bleed off airspeed by pulling aft on the cyclic. The helicopter then abruptly made an uncommanded yaw to the left, and began to roll. After the CFI observed the rotor tachometer " bleeding off," and did not see the engine needle on the left hand side of it's gauge, he assumed control of the helicopter. He proceeded to lower the collective just enough to try and maintain glide, while applying forward and right cyclic to counter the left roll. About 30 feet above the ground, he applied aft cyclic to flare, and then forward cyclic to level the skids. The helicopter touched down on the skids, level with the ground, on the side of the grass strip. The helicopter skidded forward about 50 feet, into a culvert ditch, where it came to rest. Examination of the engine and airframe did not reveal any pre-impact failures.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.