Hughes 500D N8639F

Summary

On 18 July 1995 at about 20:30 local time, a Hughes 500D registered N8639F was involved in an accident near Paxson, Alaska, 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

18 July 1995 at 20:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Paxson, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

63.7003, -144.8894

Aircraft

Hughes 500D

Registration

N8639F

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Summit Lake → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC95LA107

Nobody was injured.

FUEL STARVATION DUE TO ACRYLAMIDE CONTAMINATION IN THE FUEL CONTROL INLET FILTER. THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A FORCED LANDING WAS A RELATED FACTOR.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE HELICOPTER PILOT WAS TRANSPORTING A GEOLOGIST IN A REMOTE AREA. AFTER DEPARTING FROM A PICKUP SITE THAT WAS AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 5,000 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL, THE PILOT NOTICED A DECREASE IN MAIN ROTOR RPM, AND THE NOSE OF THE HELICOPTER YAWED. THE PILOT DECREASED COLLECTIVE PITCH, BUT ENGINE POWER AND ROTOR RPM CONTINUED TO DECREASE. THE PILOT TURNED THE HELICOPTER TOWARD LOWER TERRAIN AND INTO THE WIND, THEN PERFORMED AN AUTOROTATION ON TUNDRA COVERED TERRAIN. DURING TOUCHDOWN, THE HELICOPTER HIT THE GROUND HARD, AND THE TAIL BOOM WAS SEVERED BY THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES. THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING AFTER LANDING. AN INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE FUEL CONTROL ASSEMBLY REVEALED THE PRESENCE OF ACRYLAMIDE CONTAMINATION IN THE FUEL INLET FILTER.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.