Hughes 269B N16133

Summary

On 11 April 2003 at about 00:30 local time, a Hughes 269B registered N16133 was involved in an accident near Auburn, California, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 April 2003 at 00:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Auburn, California, United States

Nearest airport

Auburn Muni (AUN)

Coordinates

38.9581, -121.0667

Aircraft

Hughes 269B

Registration

N16133

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Auburn → Auburn

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX03FA134

2 people died.

the misjudged flare maneuver by an unknown crewmember during a likely practice autorotation that resulted in an in-flight collision with terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The helicopter impacted the ground at a high rate of descent during a local instructional flight. Some minutes prior to the accident, a witness on a farm about 3 miles from the accident site heard and observed the helicopter performing maneuvers consistent with multiple practice autorotations to a power recovery. The helicopter then flew off in the direction of the airport. Witnesses near the accident site observed the helicopter in level controlled flight about 500 feet above ground level flying in the direction of the airport. They observed the helicopter's nose drop and then it dove toward the ground and disappeared behind a tree line. These witnesses heard normal sounds coming from the engine. Ground scars and the wreckage exhibited evidence consistent with the helicopter colliding with the ground at a high rate of descent in a level upright attitude and rolling on its right side. The main rotor blades displayed evidence consistent with having flexed downward and slicing into the tail boom at a high rotational rate and a driven energy state. Other evidence in the drive train was consistent with engine rotation and power production. An airframe and engine inspection revealed no preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation and functionality of the control system.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.