HUGHES 269A
Fort Worth, TX, October 14, 2011
Event Information
| Date | October 14, 2011 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| Location | Fort Worth, TX |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 32.81972, -97.36222 |
| Airport | Fort Worth Mecham Intl. Airpor |
| Highest Injury | NONE |
| NTSB Number | CEN12CA031 |
| Event ID | 20111019X32039 |
Aircraft
| Make | HUGHES |
| Model | 269A |
| Registration # | N10375 |
| Operator | ON FILE |
| Owner | ON FILE |
| Category | HELI |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | DAYL |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 0 |
| Minor | 0 |
| None | 2 |
| Total Injured | 0 |
Event Location
Probable Cause
The inadvertent entry into ground resonance after a hovering autorotation.
Full Narrative
After practicing some flight and landing maneuvers, the certified flight instructor and pilot receiving instruction decided to practice some hovering autorotations on a taxiway. With the skids on the ground for approximately 20 seconds after completing a hovering autorotation and the engine at 2,000 RPM, the helicopter began to vibrate and violently shake. The vibrations and shaking continued to increase and lasted approximately 15 to 30 seconds. After the shaking stopped, the certified flight instructor shutdown the helicopter. Postaccident examination of the helicopter revealed 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.
About This NTSB Record
This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.