Hughes 269C N796

Summary

On 12 January 1995 at about 23:30 local time, a Hughes 269C registered N796 was involved in an accident near Dumont, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 January 1995 at 23:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Dumont, Texas, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Hughes 269C

Registration

N796

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Public Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW95GA090

Nobody was injured.

THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO OVERSTRESS FRACTURES OF THE #3 CYLINDER CONNECTING ROD CAP BOLTS. THE ORIGIN OF THE FRACTURES COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

DURING WILD LIFE CONTROL ACTIVITIES THE HELICOPTER EXPERIENCED A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE AT 40 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO REGAIN POWER BY 'MILKING THE COLLECTIVE.' THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE WITHOUT FLARING. FOLLOWING THE INITIAL IMPACT THE HELICOPTER BOUNCED 13 FEET FORWARD AND ROLLED RIGHT. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE #3 CYLINDER CONNECTING ROD CAP BOLTS HAD FRACTURED RESULTING IN A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE BEARING CAP AND PISTON. THE SAFETY BOARD'S METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE FRACTURE FEATURES AT THE CENTER OF EACH BOLT WERE THE RESULT OF OVERSTRESS SEPARATIONS. HOWEVER, THE FRACTURE FEATURES ADJACENT TO THE OUTSIDE DIAMETER OF EACH BOLT CONTAINED MECHANICAL DAMAGE THAT OBLITERATED THE ORIGINAL FRACTURE FEATURES.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.