ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 357546
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| Date: | Sunday 14 April 1996 |
| Time: | 11:55 LT |
| Type: |  Hughes 369D |
| Owner/operator: | William Barron Hilton |
| Registration: | N519BH |
| MSN: | 854D |
| Total airframe hrs: | 1793 hours |
| Engine model: | Allison 250-C20B |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Yerington, NV -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | , NV |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot experienced a total loss of engine power while cruising between 200 and 300 feet above ground level and at an airspeed of 100 knots. The pilot reported that the engine noise resembled the same whining as if it were in a shut down mode. The pilot entered an autorotation and landed in an open field approximately 0.5 miles from his airstrip. The accident site examination revealed that the helicopter had touched down with forward speed and made depressions in the soft ground over a distance of 25 to 30 feet. The helicopter rolled onto its side and a main rotor blade severed the tail boom. Tail rotor blade and drive shaft components separated from the helicopter and were found 200 feet from the main wreckage. The last annual inspection was performed 6 months prior to the accident flight and the aircraft had flown 16.9 hours. Also, the last compressor wash was performed about 2 months prior to the flight and had flown 8 hours since then. The postaccident engine examination revealed accumulated nozzle port debris and dirty compressor blades and vanes. The engine flamed out during its first test run and, during subsequent tests, it produced power 7.8 percent below specifications.
Probable Cause: the partial loss of engine power and the pilot's misjudged flare during an autorotation landing in soft dirt with excessive forward speed. The power loss resulted from flight operations in an environment which debris contaminated the engine's nozzle port and compressor assembly.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB LAX96LA168
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 13-Mar-2024 19:07 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
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