Hughes 269A N5161E

Summary

On 10 April 1998 at about 22:30 local time, a Hughes 269A registered N5161E, operated by Clark, RON. A, was involved in an accident near Emmett, Idaho, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

10 April 1998 at 22:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Emmett, Idaho, United States

Coordinates

43.9800, -116.5196

Aircraft

Hughes 269A

Registration

N5161E

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Clark, RON. A

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Nampa → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA98LA063

1 person died.

The instructor pilot's failure to maintain the proper rate of descent on landing. Factors were a sudden wind shift, the instructor pilot's lack of recent experience, and terrain drop-off.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The instructor and the student pilot departed on a training flight with the intention of practicing off airport landings. The instructor maneuvered the helicopter towards a plateau with cliffs on three of its sides, and initiated a demonstration of a pinnacle landing. He then noticed the development of an excessive sink rate and wind change and attempted to correct with collective and throttle. Shortly thereafter, he reached the stop on the throttle and the RPM began decaying. The instructor lowered collective and the rotorcraft impacted the ground hard bouncing back into the air 10-12 feet before striking the ground a second time, during which the tail rotor impacted the ground. Directional control was lost and the rotorcraft rolled over the edge of the plateau and down a steeply sloped embankment. The instructor pilot had logged only 3 hours of flight time, all in the accident aircraft make within the previous 90 days. A weather observation recorded at the Caldwell airport 11 nm south of the accident site reported winds from 110 degrees at 9 knots with gusts to 14 knots. The instructor pilot reported that there was no mechanical malfunction with the rotorcraft during the flight.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.