ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 189206
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| Date: | Tuesday 9 August 2016 |
| Time: | 20:35 |
| Type: |  Schweizer 269C |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N9277R |
| MSN: | 790809 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1979 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 5663 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming HIO-360-D1A |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Howe, TX -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | Sherman Municipal Airport, TX (KSWI) |
| Sherman Municipal Airport, TX (KSWI) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On August 9, 2016, at 2035 central daylight time, a Hughes 269C helicopter, N9277R, impacted terrain following an autorotation near Howe, Texas. The flight instructor was fatally injured, the student pilot sustained serious injuries, and the helicopter sustained substantial damage. The helicopter was privately owned and operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed. The local instructional flight departed the Sherman Municipal Airport (SWI), Sherman, Texas, at an unknown time.
The flight instructor and student pilot were flying the helicopter near dusk about 1,100 ft above ground level (agl) when the instructor initiated a practice autorotation, by reducing the throttle to idle. The engine subsequently experienced a total loss of power; the instructor attempted to restart the engine, but, was unsuccessful. The student provided conflicting statements regarding who was controlling the helicopter during the autorotation and landing, but stated that he started the landing flare about 25 ft agl. He further stated that he did not think that the helicopter's descent had been sufficiently slowed before the helicopter impacted the ground. Upon impact, the tail boom partially separated and the helicopter rolled over, coming to rest on its right side.
Postaccident examination of the helicopter and engine did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Impact damage precluded any functional testing of the engine and its components, and the reason for the reported loss of engine power could not be determined.
The pilot's flight manual stated that an engine restart should not be attempted below 2,000 ft agl, and that, below that altitude, the pilot should conduct a normal autorotation to landing. The manual also stated that the fuel boost pump should be activated before a practice autorotation. The fuel boost pump switch was found in the OFF position. The manual also states that rapid throttle reductions to full idle during flight shall not be conducted at any altitude to minimize the possibility of engine stoppage.
Probable Cause: The improper execution of an autorotation following the loss of engine power, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent into terrain. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's lack of remedial action during the autorotation.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
FAA register: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=9277R
Location
Images:
Photo: NTSB
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 11-Aug-2016 09:55 | gerard57 | Added |
| 11-Aug-2016 09:56 | harro | Updated [Aircraft type] |
| 11-Aug-2016 14:43 | Geno | Updated [Registration, Cn, Location, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 12-Aug-2016 08:47 | Aerossurance | Updated [Time, Location, Narrative] |
| 19-Aug-2016 16:47 | Aerossurance | Updated [Location, Source, Narrative] |
| 19-Aug-2016 16:47 | Aerossurance | Updated [Destination airport] |
| 04-Oct-2017 17:40 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 17-Oct-2022 19:41 | Captain Adam | Updated [Other fatalities, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Photo] |
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