Hughes 500 N3766Z
19 August 1988 · Riviera Beach, Florida, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 19 August 1988 at about 11:10 local time, a Hughes 500 registered N3766Z, operated by Trafficopters, Inc., was involved in an accident near Riviera Beach, Florida, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.
The record
- Date
- at 11:10
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Riviera Beach, Florida, United States
- Coordinates
- 26.7808, -80.0599
- Aircraft
- Hughes 500
- Registration
- N3766Z
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Trafficopters, Inc.
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Aerial Observation
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- West Palm Beach → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- MIA88FA257
People
1 person was seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Probable cause
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 TRAFFIC WATCH HELICOPTER WAS CRUISING NORTHBOUND ALONG THE INTERSTATE AT 450 FT AGL & 85 KTS AIRSPEED. A GRINDING NOISE WAS HEARD & THE TAIL ROTOR SEPARATED FROM THE ACFT. THE ACFT BEGAN AN UNCOMMANDED RIGHT TURN WHICH WAS ARRESTED IN ABOUT 1/4 TURN. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO AUTOROTATE INTO AN OPEN FIELD JUST EAST OF THE HWY, BUT STRUCK A 25 FT TREE AT THE EDGE & CRASHED. AN EXAM REVEALED THE TAIL ROTOR GEAR BOX HOUSING, P/N 369A5400-607, HAD FAILED. A PORTION OF THE HOUSING, DRIVEN GEAR, TAIL ROTOR BLADES & RELATED COMPONENTS SEPARATED FROM THE ACFT IN FLT. THE MISSING PARTS SANK IN A LAKE ABOUT 1/2 MI FROM THE CRASH SITE & WERE NOT RECOVERED. THE REMAINING SECTION OF THE BOX WAS EXAMINED BY NTSB LAB & FAILURE WAS DUE TO OVERLOAD WITH NO EVIDENCE OF FATIGUE OR CORROSION. A WITNESS SAW 2 OBJECTS FALL FROM THE HELICOPTER. ONE OBJECT WAS WHITE AND LOOKED LIKE A BIRD, PROBABLY A SEAGULL. THE OTHER OBJECT LOOKED LIKE A STICK OR A 2X4 PIECE OF WOOD.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Hughes 500 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Oct 1988 | Hughes 500C | Branson, Missouri, United States | Tablerock Helicopters Inc. | Serious injuries | - |
| 7 Jul 1989 | Hughes 500D | Williamson, West Virginia, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 12 Jan 1989 | Hughes 500-D | Bell Mountain, Alaska, United States | Soloy, L.c. | No injuries | - |
| 6 Sep 1986 | Hughes 500 (369HS) | West Lafayette, Indiana, United States | R. J. Dubray | Minor injuries | - |
| 4 Oct 1990 | Hughes 500D | Kennsington, Alaska, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 9 Mar 1986 | Hughes 500D | Mt. Crawford, Virginia, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Apr 1988 | Cessna 172N | Vero Beach, Florida, United States | Citrus Grove Aviation, Inc. | Serious injuries | - |
| 13 Apr 1988 | Beechcraft A-23 | Fort Myers, Florida, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 25 May 1988 | Rockwell A9B | Marianna, Florida, United States | Panhandle Aviation | Serious injuries | - |
| 25 May 1988 | Cessna 172K | Lake City, Florida, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 1 Jun 1988 | Piper J3C | N Fort Myers, Florida, United States | Walker, David L | Fatal | 2 |
| 3 Jun 1988 | Cessna 172N | Jacksonville, Florida, United States | Miller Aircraft, Inc. | Serious injuries | - |