ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 36277
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| Date: | Saturday 19 March 1994 |
| Time: | 11:50 LT |
| Type: |  Hughes 369A |
| Owner/operator: | Lake County Sheriff |
| Registration: | N97LC |
| MSN: | 880719 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1968 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 4082 hours |
| Engine model: | ALLISON T-63-A-700 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Northford, CT -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Ferry/positioning |
| Departure airport: | North Kingston, RI |
| Morristown, NJ | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
THE ARMY NATIONAL GUARD HAD TRANSFERRED THE HELICOPTER TO A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY THE DAY PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE HELICOPTER WAS CRUISING ABOUT 800 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL IN LOOSE FORMATION WITH ANOTHER HELICOPTER, WHEN RADIO AND VISUAL CONTACT WERE LOST. WITNESSES SAW THE HELICOPTER IN A DESCENT AND OBSERVED IT IMPACT TREES. NO DISTRESS CALLS WERE HEARD FROM THE PILOT. EVIDENCE INDICATED THAT THE MAIN AND TAIL ROTOR BLADES WERE AT LOW RPM. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE AND COMPONENTS INDICATED LOW POWER AT IMPACT. NO DISCREPANCIES WERE NOTED DURING THE EXAMINATION. A POST IMPACT FIRE DESTROYED MAJOR PORTIONS OF THE ENGINE AND FUSELAGE. THE PILOT FLEW WITH A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR FOR 1.1 HOURS THE DAY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THIS WAS THE PILOT'S ONLY FLIGHT TIME IN THIS MODEL HELICOPTER PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. ALSO, OTHER THAN THIS FLIGHT, HE HAD NOT FLOWN ANY HELICOPTER IN OVER 5 YEARS.
Probable Cause: THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS, AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ROTOR RPM DURING THE FORCED LANDING AUTOROTATION, RESULTING IN A LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL AND COLLISION WITH TREES. ALSO CAUSAL TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF RECENT HELICOPTER EXPEREINCE AND HIS LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THIS MODEL HELICOPTER.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB NYC94GA066
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2008 10:30 | ASN archive | Added |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:22 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 30-May-2023 01:59 | Ron Averes | Updated [[Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency]] |
| 10-Apr-2024 08:28 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Accident report] |
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