Hughes 269A accident near Fort Worth, Texas, October 14, 2011
On October 14, 2011 at about 2:20 pm local time, a Hughes 269A (helicopter), registered N10375, was substantially damaged in an accident during standing (engine(s) operating) near Fort Worth, Texas (Fort Worth Mecham Intl. Airpor 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 inadvertent entry into ground resonance after a hovering autorotation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 14, 2011 · about 2:20 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Worth, Texas · Fort Worth Mecham Intl. Airpor · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269A · all 269As on the register
- Registration
- N10375 · registry record · serial 67-18376
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certified flight instructor (CFI) and pilot receiving instruction were practicing hovering autorotations on a taxiway. With the skids on the ground for about 20 seconds after completing a hovering autorotation and with the engine at 2,000 rpm, the helicopter began to vibrate and violently shake, consistent with ground resonance. The vibrations and shaking continued to increase and lasted about 15 to 30 seconds. After the shaking stopped, the CFI shut down the helicopter. A postaccident examination of the helicopter revealed that 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.
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
What happened, in order
- Ground resonance during standing (engine(s) operating) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Prop/rotor parameters › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 803 hours in all; 98 in this make and model; 49 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 732 as pilot in command; 279 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 18, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,377 hours in all; 65 in this make and model; 47 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 4,954 as pilot in command; 1,330 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 8, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,176 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 25, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FTW Fort Worth TX at 1:30 pm
- Destination: FTW Fort Worth TX
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.