Hughes 369D N10966

Summary

On 7 August 1982 at about 21:03 local time, a Hughes 369D registered N10966, operated by Olympic Air, Inc., was involved in an accident near Shelton, Washington, United States. 4 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

7 August 1982 at 21:03

Classification

Accident

Location

Shelton, Washington, United States

Nearest airport

Sanderson Field (SHN)

Coordinates

47.2297, -123.1991

Aircraft

Hughes 369D

Registration

N10966

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Olympic Air, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Shelton → Shelton

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA82DA137

Nobody was injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

DURING A SIGHT SEEING FLIGHT THE PILOT SMELLED A BURNING ODOR AND PREPARED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY OFF-AIRPORT LANDING. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, ENGINE RPM DECAYED AND AN AUTOROTATIVE LANDING WAS EFFECTED ON A DIRT ROAD. ON TOUCHDOWN, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES FLEXED DOWNWARD, STRIKING THE TAIL BOOM AND SEPARATING IT FROM THE FUSELAGE. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THETURBINE-TO-COMPRESSOR COUPLING WAS BOUND TO THE POWER TURBINE SHAFT WHICH SLEEVES IT. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF THERMAL AND MECHANICAL DISTRESS TO THE COMPONENTS, CAUSED BY OVER-HEATING AND COKING OF THE OIL.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.