Hughes 269 Safety Record

The non-instrument-rated pilot’s decision to fly a visual flight rules only helicopter in instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in a collision with trees and terrain.

The pilot's inadequate preflight planning, and his subsequent failure to attain adequate altitude during takeoff, which resulted in a collision with a wire fence.

The student pilot's failure to maintain tail rotor clearance from terrain while transitioning to a hover taxi and the instructor pilot's inadequate remedial action to prevent the impending tail rotor contact.

The applicant's failure to maintain directional control of the helicopter during a simulated power failure from a hover and the FAA inspector's delayed remedial action resulted in a dynamic rollover.

The pilot's improper in-flight decision to allow the passenger to manipulate the aircraft flight controls, his failure to maintain altitude/clearance from the river, and his inadequate remedial action. A related factor was the low altitude.

The helicopter encountering a ground resonance condition following a failure to maintain hovering flight. Contributing factors to the accident included the pilot's failure to maintain rotor RPM and the high pressure state of the landing gear shock absorbing dampers.

The helicopter's loss of engine power for undetermined reasons while maneuvering close to the ground, and the low altitude and low airspeed. A factor relating to this accident was the pilot not being able to get into autorotation.

Failure of the left aft cluster fitting due to a fatigue crack. Factors in the accident were the mechanic's failure to identify the crack at the last annual inspection, and the pilot's failure to identify the crack during the last daily inspection

Mintenance personnel not following the mandatory service bulletin procedure of not exceeding 0.0005 inch paint thickness on the cylinder flange. Factors were the fatigue separation of multiple cylinder hold down bolts resulting in looseness of the cylinder; and the subsequent vibration and fatigue separation of the fuel injector line. An additional factor was the pilot's operation of the rotorcraft outside the height/velocity parameters for a successful autorotation.

The pilot's failure to comply with published emergency procedures. A factor in the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight planning which resulted in a take-off with the inadequate amount of fuel for the flight.

The student's misjudged altitude and failure to maintain rotor rpm while practicing an autorotation, and, the instructor's delayed remedial corrective action and inadequate supervision of the flight.

The hard landing as a result of the flight instructor's failure to attain the proper airspeed before simulating an engine failure, which resulted in the development of a high sink rate. Factors were the night illumination and the soft ground.