Tuesday, July 24, 2012

HUGHES 269C, N9679F: Accident occurred July 24, 2012 in St. Petersburg, Florida

NTSB Identification: ERA12LA477 
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, July 24, 2012 in St. Petersburg, FL
Aircraft: HUGHES 269C, registration: N9679F
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.


On July 24, 2012, about 1900 eastern daylight time, a Hughes 269C helicopter, N9679F, was substantially damaged following a loss of control and an uncontrolled descent during hover over the owner's business property in St. Petersburg, Florida. The certificated private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

According to the pilot the helicopter's last annual inspection was completed 12 years prior to the accident flight. On the day of the accident he decided to fly it to lubricate the parts. After liftoff, he brought the helicopter to a hover about 25 feet in the air and initiated some pedal turns. The nose of the helicopter then began to drift towards the right. He applied left pedal but did not experience a response. The helicopter then continued to circle; the pilot dropped the collective, the helicopter impacted the ground on the left skid, struck a fence, and then rolled over on its left side.

According to witnesses the helicopter hovered about 50 feet in the air. It did not circle but, appeared to move side to side, and was described as being out of control before it impacted the ground.

Post accident examination of the helicopter by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector did not reveal any preimpact failures or malfunctions of the helicopter which would have precluded normal operation. During the examination it was discovered however, that the cyclic control system would not move freely as the friction lock was on.

According to FAA and maintenance records, the helicopter was manufactured in 1971. At the time of accident, the helicopter had accrued approximately 2,393 total hours of operation.

According to FAA and pilot records, the pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, and rotorcraft-helicopter. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on April 26, 2012. He reported that he had accrued 1,183 total hours of flight experience, of which, 365 hours were in the accident helicopter make and model.

The reported weather at Albert Whitted Airport (SPG), St. Petersburg, Florida, at 1900, included: winds 250 degrees at 6 knots, 10 miles visibility, clear skies, temperature 29 degrees C, dew point 26 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 30.03 inches of mercury.


FAA IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 9679F        Make/Model: H269      Description: 269, 200, 280, 300, TH-300, SKY KNIGHT (
  Date: 07/24/2012     Time: 2250

  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: None     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Substantial

LOCATION
  City: SAINT PETERSBURG   State: FL   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  N9679F HUGHES 269 ROTORCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, SAINT 
  PETERSBURG, FL

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   0
                 # Crew:   1     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:    
                 # Pass:   0     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:    
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:    


OTHER DATA
  Activity: Unknown      Phase: Unknown      Operation: OTHER


  FAA FSDO: TAMPA, FL  (SO35)                     Entry date: 07/25/2012 
 
 http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=9679F


 
 [LARA CERRI | Times]


LEALMAN — A small helicopter crashed into a fence Tuesday night at a salvage yard in the 3600 block of 45th Avenue N. 

The crash occurred about 6:50 p.m. as the pilot, Wayne Parker, was taking off in the Hughes 300 two-seater helicopter from a field in the salvage yard, fire officials said. Parker noticed a problem with the tail rotor just before he crashed.

When rescue personnel arrived, they found Parker, the aircraft's lone occupant, standing outside the helicopter. He was not injured.

Pinellas County sheriff's deputies secured the scene of the crash while waiting for officials from the Federal Aviation Administration to arrive. The National Transportation Safety Board will also conduct an investigation.

"My guess is the blades hit the fence, but that's not his story," said Lealman Fire District Capt. Jim Millican.

Parker, 60, has the helicopter for his personal use and regularly parks it at the salvage yard, authorities said. He is the owner of A-1 Key & Safe on 54th Avenue N, authorities said.

Fire officials said Parker told them he did not wish to speak with the media Tuesday evening.


 http://www.tampabay.com


ST. PETERSBURG — Authorities are on the scene of a helicopter crash at a salvage yard in the 3600 block of 45th Avenue N. 

Fire officials received the call of the crash at about 6:50 p.m. When they arrived, they found the pilot, who was the lone occupant, outside of the helicopter. He was not injured.

Authorities identified him as Wayne Parker, 60, and said he used the helicopter for personal use. He is the owner of A-1 Key & Safe on 54th Avenue N, officials said.

Fire officials said Parker parks his helicopter in a nearby field and was taking off Tuesday evening when he noticed a problem with his tail rotor. The helicopter then crashed into a fence, officials said.

Officials said the helicopter is a 2-seater. They identified it as a Hughes 300.

Fire officials said Parker told them he did not wish to speak with the media Tuesday evening.

No other details were immediately available, but check back with tampabay.com for more information.

Source:  http://www.tampabay.com


 ST. PETERSBURG --  A helicopter has crashed in the Lealman area of St. Petersburg.

It happened at 46th Avenue N. and 35 Street N.

The reports came in about 7 p.m.

In a phone interview, Lealman Fire District Capt. Jim Millican said the pilot, identified as 60-year-old Wayne Park, was operating a Hughes 300-type aircraft. The pilot took off and somehow the tail rotor came apart and the chopper crashed, according to Millican.

The pilot was not injured. There were also no reports of injuries on the ground.

The FAA is headed to the scene.

Source:  http://www.baynews9.com


 St. Petersburg, Florida -- A helicopter lost a tail rotor and spun to the ground in Lealman tonight, the sheriffs office reported.

The crash happened at the A1 Key & Safe, 4550 35th Street North shortly before 7 p.m.

Owner/pilot Wayne Parker, 60, who keeps the Hughes 300 helicopter at his business, said he was moving the helicopter by hovering to another locaton on the property when he lost a tail rotor, went into a spin and crashed into a fence.

He was not injured.

No fuel was spilled, and there was no fire.

The FAA and NTSB have been notified and will conduct the investigation, the sheriff's office said.

Source:  http://www.wtsp.com

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