Hughes 269C N502AA

Summary

On 21 August 2001 at about 15:30 local time, a Hughes 269C registered N502AA was involved in an accident near Tucumcari, New Mexico, 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

21 August 2001 at 15:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Tucumcari, New Mexico, United States

Coordinates

35.1556, -104.0722

Aircraft

Hughes 269C

Registration

N502AA

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Tucumcari → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN01LA150

Nobody was injured.

failure of the pilot-in-command to maintain adequate terrain clearance. Contributing factors were the unsuccessful low altitude flight maneuver, and the high density altitude weather conditions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that he flew for approximately one hour looking for stray cattle on his ranch. He was continuing his search on a mesa ridge when he noticed that the helicopter was losing altitude. The main rotor blades bean impacted 10 to 15 foot high cedars, and the helicopter rolled to the right and impacted the ground. The density altitude was calculated to be approximately 7,938 feet, and the out of ground effect hover capability of the helicopter with these weather conditions was calculated to be 5,200 feet.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.