Hughes 500C N506WW

Summary

On 8 October 1988 at about 16:50 local time, a Hughes 500C registered N506WW, operated by Tablerock Helicopters Inc., was involved in an accident near Branson, Missouri, United States. 6 people were on board and 4 were seriously injured, 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

8 October 1988 at 16:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Branson, Missouri, United States

Nearest airport

Table Rock Heliport (MO38)

Coordinates

36.6397, -93.2400

Aircraft

Hughes 500C

Registration

N506WW

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Tablerock Helicopters Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MKC89FA004

4 people were seriously 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

THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED FOR SIGHTSEEING WITH 5 PASSENGERS ONBOARD. THE PILOT TURNED ON FINAL APPROACH WITH 35 KNOTS OF AIRSPEED AND ENCOUNTERED A HIGH RATE OF DESCENT. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE NOTED A SPLIT TACH AND INITIATED AN AUTOROTATION, BUT WAS OUTSIDE THE ENVELOPE FOR A SAFE RECOVERY. THE SKIDS COLLAPSED IN THE RESULTING HARD LANDING, AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER. METAL FLECKS WERE FOUND IN THE FREEWHEELING SPRAG ASSEMBLY, WHICH HELD VERY LITTLE OIL, BUT NO EVIDENCE OF SLIPPAGE WAS FOUND.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.