Hughes 269C N90570

Summary

On 25 March 2013 at about 17:15 local time, a Hughes 269C registered N90570, operated by Western Helicopters Inc., was involved in an accident near Rialto, California, United States. One person was 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

25 March 2013 at 17:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Rialto, California, United States

Nearest airport

Rialto Municipal Airport (L67)

Coordinates

34.1292, -117.4014

Aircraft

Hughes 269C

Registration

N90570

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Western Helicopters Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Rialto → Rialto

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR13CA160

Nobody was injured.

The student pilot’s failure to maintain helicopter control while maneuvering in a hover.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the student pilot, while in a hover before departure, he attempted a 360-degree right pedal turn. About 180 degrees into the turn, the rotation speed started to increase. The pilot thought his reaction to the increased rotation speed was not as decisive as it should have been, and the helicopter departing controlled flight. The pilot stated that he did not press on the left pedal; instead, he released pressure on the right pedal. The helicopter came to rest upright after impacting the ground, which resulted in substantial damage to the tail rotor drive shaft and boom. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.