Hughes OH-6A accident near Greenville, South Carolina, November 15, 2003
On November 15, 2003 at about 3:45 pm local time, a Hughes OH-6A (helicopter), registered N536, was substantially damaged in an accident near Greenville, South Carolina (Greenville Downtown airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper landing flare, resulting in a hard landing and a main rotor/tailboom strike.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 15, 2003 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Greenville, South Carolina · Greenville Downtown · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes OH-6A · all OH-6As on the register
- Registration
- N536 · no longer on the register · serial 58-0504
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the certified flight instructor (CFI), while conducting an instructional flight an autorotation was performed. After the autorotation the CFI brought the helicopter to a hover, and then climbed to an altitude of approximately 200 feet for another practice autorotation. The helicopter briefly shuttered and the aft section of the tail boom separated from the airframe. The helicopter began spinning and came to rest in a thicket of pine trees. According to a witness at the scene of the practice autorotation, he recalled hearing a loud "pop" when the helicopter touched down. The CFI did not hear or feel anything unusual during or after the autorotation, and reported a normal takeoff. A survey of the first touchdown point revealed a pie shaped piece of blue metal on the ground. Further examination revealed the pie shaped piece of metal fit an area on the tail boom. Examination revealed the main rotor blades had blue paint on the tips. No mechanical or flight control malfunctions were reported by the CFI.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,100 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 72 in the last 30 days; 1,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 15, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,150 hours in all; 90 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 2,700 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,797 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 23, 2003; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C10D (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GMU Greenville SC at 3:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from GMU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.