Hughes 269C N7490F

Summary

On 24 March 2002 at about 23:25 local time, a Hughes 269C registered N7490F was involved in an accident near Bessemer, Alabama, 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

24 March 2002 at 23:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Bessemer, Alabama, United States

Nearest airport

Bessemer (EKY)

Coordinates

33.3128, -86.9261

Aircraft

Hughes 269C

Registration

N7490F

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Bessemer → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA02LA070

Nobody was injured.

The failure of the flight instructor to adequately monitor the student's rotorcraft control, resulting in an abrupt cyclic input causing a tail rotor strike of the terrain while entering a hover, and the resulting rollover during an uncontrolled descent.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

At the successful completion of one practice straight-in autorotation to the grass area between the runway and taxiway, terminating with a power-on three foot hover, the CFI asked the student to repeat the same maneuver. On the second attempt, the student over controlled aft cyclic and caused a tail rotor strike before the CFI could recognize and counter the student's abrupt control input. The rotorcraft entered an uncontrolled right yaw until the landing skid caught the terrain, and rolled over on its right side. The student and CFI evacuated the rotorcraft out the left door, unhurt.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.