Hughes 269C N11017

Summary

On 1 July 1991 at about 16:00 local time, a Hughes 269C registered N11017, operated by Flight Safety International, was involved in an accident near Blakely, Georgia, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

1 July 1991 at 16:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Blakely, Georgia, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Hughes 269C

Registration

N11017

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Flight Safety International

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Albany → Dothan

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL91FA120

1 person died.

LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON, AND FAILURE OF THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT (CFI) TO FOLLOW PROCEDURES AND MAINTAIN ROTOR RPM.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE FLT WAS FOR THE PURPOSE OF X-COUNTRY TRAINING. THE FLT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) CLOSED THE THROTTLE AT AN ALT OF ABT 900' AGL TO SIMULATE AN ENG FAILURE. DRG A SUBSEQUENT AUTOROTATION, ENG RPM WAS NOT MAINTD AT 2500 AS RCMDD BY THE PLT'S OPERG HANDBOOK (POH). THE STUDENT ALLOWED THE ROTOR RPM TO DETERIORATE DRG AN ATMTD PWR ON RECOVERY AT ABT 700' AGL AS HE DID NOT REALIZE THE ENG HAD STOPPED RUNNING. THE CFI ATMTD TO RESTART THE ENG AFTER TAKING CTL OF THE HELICOPTER AT ABT 700' AGL. THE STUDENT RPRTD THE ROTOR RPM REMAINED LOW DRG THE DSCNT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED IN A LARGE FLD. THE STUDENT STATED THAT THE HELICOPTER FELT AS IF IT JUST DROPPED THE LAST FEW FT OF THE AUTOROTATION. NO REASON WAS VERIFIED FOR THE LOSS OF ENG PWR. THE POH STATED THAT RPM SHOULD HAVE BEEN MAINTD DRG PRACTICE AUTOROTATIONS & THAT ENG RESTARTS SHOULD NOT BE ATMTD BELOW 2000' AGL.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.