Hughes 369HS N9089F
26 June 1992 · Labelle, Florida, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 26 June 1992 at about 16:04 local time, a Hughes 369HS registered N9089F, operated by Rotorcraft Charter, Inc., was involved in an accident near Labelle, Florida, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 16:04
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Labelle, Florida, United States
- Coordinates
- 26.6406, -81.3394
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369HS
- Registration
- N9089F
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Rotorcraft Charter, Inc.
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Not Reported
- NTSB number
- MIA92FA142
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S IMPROPER APPLICATION OF COLLECTIVE PITCH DURING AN AUTOROTATIVE LANDING RESULTING IN INSUFFICIENT ROTOR RPM AND IN-FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TREES AND THE TERRAIN. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL CONTAMINATION AND INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE PRIVATE PILOT DEPARTED ON A VFR FLIGHT IN VFR CONDITIONS. A WITNESS OBSERVED THE HELICOPTER AT ABOUT 600 FEET AGL DESCENDING IN AN AUTOROTATION WITH A HIGH RATE OF DESCENT, FORWARD AIRSPEED, WITH THE NOSE PITCHED UP ABOUT 45 DEGREES BEFORE THE HELICOPTER DISAPPEARED BELOW THE TREE LINE. EXAMINATION OF THE CRASH SITE REVEALED THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH TREES IN A DESCENDING LEFT TURN PRIOR TO IMPACTING THE GROUND IN ABOUT A 45-DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE, NOSED OVER AND CAME TO REST ON ITS RIGHT SIDE. THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL CONTAMINATION. THE DECEASED PILOT'S SON STATED THE FATHER WOULD ALLOW THE HELICOPTER TO SIT AT THE HOUSE WITHOUT A FULL TANK OF FUEL, AND THAT HIS FATHER WOULD NOT DRAIN THE FUEL SUMP AS A PART OF HIS PREFLIGHT INSPECTION.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Hughes 369 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 May 1992 | Hughes 369E | Hillsboro, Oregon, United States | Hillsboro Helicopters Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 27 Nov 1992 | Hughes 369HS | Scotts Mills, Oregon, United States | Kenram Corp | No injuries | - |
| 10 Apr 1992 | Hughes 369C | Pacific Ocean | Voyager, Inc | Minor injuries | - |
| 15 Jan 1992 | Hughes 369D | Edison, New Jersey, United States | Sun DUN Inc. of Washington | Fatal | 1 |
| 16 Nov 1992 | Hughes 369D | Carlsbad, California, United States | Haverfield Corporation | No injuries | - |
| 2 Dec 1992 | Hughes 369B | Fallbrook, California, United States | Haverfield Corporation | Fatal | 2 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Feb 1992 | Cessna 150M | Stuart, Florida, United States | Flight Training International | No injuries | - |
| 9 Feb 1992 | Burch ROTORWAY EXEC | Lakeland, Florida, United States | Ronald W.case | No injuries | - |
| 9 Feb 1992 | Piper PA-32-260 | Kissimmee, Florida, United States | Perman, William | No injuries | - |
| 10 Feb 1992 | Piper PA-28-161 | New Smyrna Bch, Florida, United States | ACS, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 21 Feb 1992 | Cessna 172N | Orlando, Florida, United States | Flight Express, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 8 Feb 1992 | Cessna 152 | Perry, Florida, United States | Comair Aviation Academy | No injuries | - |