Hughes 269A N3782B

Summary

On 13 February 1987 at about 20:40 local time, a Hughes 269A registered N3782B, operated by Metro Flight Services, Inc., was involved in an accident near Buford, Georgia, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

13 February 1987 at 20:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Buford, Georgia, United States

Coordinates

34.1093, -83.9900

Aircraft

Hughes 269A

Registration

N3782B

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Metro Flight Services, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Gainesville → Cumming

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL87FA071

1 person 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 WAS OBSERVED TO SLOW DOWN OVER THE PARKING LOT THEN CONTINUED OUT OVER THE LAKE. A PUFF OF SMOKE WAS OBSERVED AROUND THE REAR OF THE ENGINE AREA AND THE HELICOPTER FISHTAILED AS IT ALMOST CAME TO A STOP THEN DROPPED INTO THE WATER NOSE FIRST. IT SANK ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED A HOLE IN THE CRANKCASE. THE FRACTURE SURFACES INDICATED AN INTERNAL TO EXTERNAL PUCTURE. FURTHER EXAMINATION REVEALED A FATIGUE FAILURE OF A ROD CAP BOLT AND SUBSEQUENT SEPARATION OF THE ROD FROM THE CRANKSHAFT. EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE INTERNAL COMPONENTS OF THE ENGINE WAS OBSERVED. THE PILOT WAS A LOW TIME HELICOPTER PILOT WHO COULD NOT SWIM AND WAS AFRAID OF THE WATER.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.