Hughes 269B N9427F

Summary

On 5 August 2015 at about 22:05 local time, a Hughes 269B registered N9427F was involved in an accident near Atkinson, Illinois, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

5 August 2015 at 22:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Atkinson, Illinois, United States

Coordinates

41.4111, -89.9733

Aircraft

Hughes 269B

Registration

N9427F

Category

Helicopter

Year built

1963

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Geneseo → Geneseo

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN15LA341

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's improper decision to intentionally fly the helicopter at a low altitude and his subsequent failure to maintain clearance from a power line.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot was conducting a local, personal flight when the helicopter collided with a power line during cruise flight. A witness reported seeing the helicopter flying about 20 ft above the ground shortly before the accident. Another witness reported hearing the helicopter approach his position then hearing a loud "pop" and seeing a broken power line pass over him. The helicopter crashed in a nearby field and was destroyed by fire. The pilot sustained serious injuries and did not recall the accident flight. Postaccident examination of the helicopter did not reveal any evidence of preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Based on the available information, the pilot was intentionally flying the helicopter at a low altitude toward the southwest when it collided with the power line. Weather conditions were good at the time of the accident, and the sun was about 34° above the horizon and to the west-southwest. Although the location of the sun relative to the power line may have hindered the pilot's ability to see and avoid the power line, it was the pilot's improper decision to operate the helicopter at a low altitude that resulted in the collision with the power line.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.