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ERA23LA146

2023-03-09 · Titusville, Florida, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Current FAA registration · N8911F

Make / Model
HUGHES 269A
Engine
LYCOMING HO-360 (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19631217
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S AC4B8C

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate main rotor RPM during an autorotation which resulted in a hard landing and subsequent rotor blade strike of the tail boom.

Factual narrative

The flight instructor reported that he was demonstrating a 180° autorotation for his passenger into an open field off airport grounds. Nearing the end of the maneuver, prior to touchdown, he failed to recover engine power in a timely manner which resulted in the rapid decay of the rotor rpm at low altitude; this resulted in a hard landing that subsequently caused the main rotor blades to make contact with the tail boom and severed the tail rotor driveshaft. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and the main rotor blades. The pilot reported that there were no pre accident mechanical malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • — Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Prop/rotor parameters-Capability exceeded
  • — Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Descent rate-Not attained/maintained
  • — Aircraft-Aircraft power plant-Engine (reciprocating)-Recip engine power section-Simulated malf/failure
  • — Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Delayed action-Pilot

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2023_ERA23LA146.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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