Hughes 269A N90636

Summary

On 25 April 2014 at about 19:30 local time, a Hughes 269A registered N90636 was involved in an accident near Cleburne, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 April 2014 at 19:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Cleburne, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Cleburne Rgnl (CPT)

Coordinates

32.3536, -97.4339

Aircraft

Hughes 269A

Registration

N90636

Category

Helicopter

Year built

1967

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Cleburne → Cleburne

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN14LA222

2 people had minor injuries.

The student pilot's failure to maintain tail rotor clearance from terrain while transitioning to a hover taxi and the instructor pilot's inadequate remedial action to prevent the impending tail rotor contact.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The student pilot was air taxiing the helicopter with an instructor pilot on board. When the student pilot slowed to a hover taxi, the helicopter began bucking violently fore and aft. The helicopter descended and came to rest on its side. A postaccident examination of the wreckage and accident site revealed ground scars consistent with main and tail rotor blade strikes, which were consistent with the aft left skid and tail rotor contacting the ground while the helicopter was moving aft. A helicopter is customarily pitched with its tail low when the pilot performs a quick stop from an air taxi. Tail rotor drive shaft deformation was consistent with the tail rotor blade contacting the ground while being driven. No preimpact anomalies were detected that would have precluded normal operation of the helicopter. The evidence indicates that the student pilot allowed the tail rotor and aft skid to contact the ground as the helicopter slowed during the transition to hover taxi. The instructor did not anticipate the situation or intervene in a timely manner, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent and rollover.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.