Hughes 369A N468WE

Summary

On 13 May 2007 at about 22:30 local time, a Hughes 369A registered N468WE was involved in an accident near Moulton, Alabama, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

13 May 2007 at 22:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Moulton, Alabama, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Hughes 369A

Registration

N468WE

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Sylacauga → Muscle

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA07FA098

1 person died.

The separation of a main rotor blade from its tension torsion bar for an undetermined reason.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot recently purchased the helicopter through an aircraft broker. An annual inspection was done prior to the sale, at which time a main rotor blade was replaced and the other three were overhauled. The accident occurred on the fourth flight of the day of a multiple-leg cross-country flight. The flight departed from one of several planned fuel stops. No flight plan was filed, and searchers found the fire- and impact-damaged wreckage 2 days later in wooded terrain. Three of the four main rotor blades were found separated from the main rotor hub with one of the blades located about 1,100 feet from the main wreckage, consistent with an in-flight separation. A National Transportation Safety Board materials engineer examined the blade retention strap assemblies, and no preexisting material issues were identified to explain why one or more main rotor blades could have separated prior to impact.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.