Pilot Debrief

HUGHES 269A near Fort Worth, TX — 2011-10-14

Final reportCEN12CA031
Sign in to save
Date
2011-10-14
Location
Fort Worth, TX, USA
Airport
FTW
Aircraft
HUGHES 269A
Registration
N10375
Category
Helicopter
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0

Probable cause

The inadvertent entry into ground resonance after a hovering autorotation.

NTSB narrative

The certified flight instructor (CFI) and pilot receiving instruction were practicing hovering autorotations on a taxiway. With the skids on the ground for about 20 seconds after completing a hovering autorotation and with the engine at 2,000 rpm, the helicopter began to vibrate and violently shake, consistent with ground resonance. The vibrations and shaking continued to increase and lasted about 15 to 30 seconds. After the shaking stopped, the CFI shut down the helicopter. A postaccident examination of the helicopter revealed that the tail rotor and gearbox separated, and the fuselage was bent and deformed. No preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter were noted that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 2 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents2

Related mishaps