Hughes OH 6A N6636H

Summary

On 12 May 2003 at about 19:00 local time, a Hughes OH 6A registered N6636H was involved in an accident near Pan Tak, Arizona, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 May 2003 at 19:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Pan Tak, Arizona, United States

Coordinates

32.0356, -111.5169

Aircraft

Hughes OH 6A

Registration

N6636H

Category

Helicopter

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Public Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Ajo → Tucson

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX03TA150

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot in command's failure to adequately secure loose cargo (a jacket), which resulted in the jacket colliding with the tail rotor during cruise flight, and the subsequent separation of the tail rotor and loss of flight control. A factor associated with the accident is the rear door unlatching in-flight.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While in cruise flight, the back door on the helicopter opened, and a flight jacket that had been unsecured in the back seat departed the helicopter and became entangled in the tail rotor assembly. The tail rotor assembly subsequently separated from the tail boom, and the pilot was unable to maintain control of the helicopter. He entered an autorotation, but due to the diminished control capability, the helicopter struck the ground hard and rolled onto its side.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.