Hughes 369FF N82638

Summary

On 10 October 2000 at about 15:20 local time, a Hughes 369FF registered N82638 was involved in an accident near Baggs, Wyoming, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

10 October 2000 at 15:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Baggs, Wyoming, United States

Coordinates

41.0293, -107.6504

Aircraft

Hughes 369FF

Registration

N82638

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 133: Rotorcraft Ext. Load

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN01LA002

1 person was seriously injured.

impact with terrain following a total loss of engine power due to fatigue failure of the turbine-to-compressor coupling. A contributing factor was the unsuitable terrain for a forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The helicopter was engaged in seismographic/external load operations. According to the pilot, the helicopter was in a stabilized out-of-ground-effect hover at approximately 130 feet above the ground when he heard a loud "pop" or "bang" and the engine lost power. The pilot said the helicopter descended rapidly and impacted the ground at a higher than normal rate of descent. Examination of the engine revealed that the turbine-to-compressor coupling exhibited fatigue failure at the turbine end, having approximately 60 percent of the splines broken away.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.