Hughes 369D N58369

Summary

On 18 July 1984 at about 18:57 local time, a Hughes 369D registered N58369 was involved in an accident near Mesa, Arizona, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

18 July 1984 at 18:57

Classification

Accident

Location

Mesa, Arizona, United States

Coordinates

33.4299, -111.7092

Aircraft

Hughes 369D

Registration

N58369

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Mesa → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX84FA405

2 people died.

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

THE HELICOPTER EXPERIENCED A MAIN ROTOR DRIVE SYSTEM DISCONNECT, AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT & SUBSEQUENT INFLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN IN A HILLY DESERT AREA. THIS WAS THE THIRD & LAST IN A PLANNED SERIES OF MARKETING DEMO FLTS CONDUCTED FOR THREE USMC OFFICERS. DURING THE POST CRASH EXAMINATION OF OVER-RUNNING CLUTCH COMPONENTS REVEALED THAT THE CAGES & SPRAGS WERE BOUND UP IN THEIR NORMAL ENGAGED POSITIONS. TWO OF THE THREE DRAG STRIPS WERE OBSERVED TO HAVE ABRASION SIGNATURES ACROSS THEIR ENTIRE WIDTH OF .07 INCHES; THE ABRASION AREAS GENERALLY MATCHED THE GEOMETRY OF THE ADJACENT BALL BEARING RACE. EXAMINATION OF ENGINEERING DRAWINGS FOR THE CLUTCH REVEALED THAT FOR THE DRAG STRIP TO CONTACT THE ADJACENT BEARING RACE, THE CLUTCH WOULD HAVE TO PROTRUDE OUT OF ITS NORMAL RELATIVE POSITION BY ABOUT .20 INCHES. HEAVY OXIDATION OBSCURED THE POTENTIAL RELATIVE RUNNING POSITION MARKINGS BETWEEN THE INNER & OUTER RACES.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.