Hughes 369D N64MK

Summary

On 31 July 1992 at about 21:40 local time, a Hughes 369D registered N64MK, operated by PCE, Ltd., was involved in an accident near Honolulu, Hawaii, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

31 July 1992 at 21:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Honolulu, Hawaii, United States

Nearest airport

Honolulu International (HNL)

Coordinates

21.3493, -157.8809

Aircraft

Hughes 369D

Registration

N64MK

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

PCE, Ltd.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX92LA326

Nobody was injured.

THE STUDENT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS DURING AN ATTEMPTED RECOVERY FROM AN OVER ROTATION DURING THE FLARE, AND, THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF THE FLIGHT.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

ACCORDING TO THE STATEMENTS BY BOTH PILOTS, THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO CHECK OUT A NEW FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR ON THE HELICOPTER TYPE. WHILE PRACTICING AN AUTO ROTATION TO TOUCHDOWN, THE NEW FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR OVER ROTATED DURING THE FLARE AND SCRAPED THE TAIL SKID ON THE PAVEMENT. IN HIS STATEMENT, THE NEW FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR SAID HE THEN PULLED UP ON THE COLLECTIVE AND THE HELICOPTER BALLOONED UPWARD TO ABOUT 15 FEET AGL. THE MAIN ROTOR SPEED WAS LOW, AND, AS A RESULT, THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD. THE MAIN ROTOR THEN FLEXED DOWNWARD AND SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WHO WAS CHECKING OUT THE NEW PILOT SAID HE HAD HIS HANDS ON THE CONTROLS DURING THE MANEUVER BUT WAS 'UNABLE TO CORRECT FOR THE UNEXPECTED INPUT BY [THE STUDENT]' IN TIME TO PREVENT THE BALLOON AND THE SUBSEQUENT HARD LANDING.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.