Hughes 500C accident near Salina, Kansas, April 24, 2000
On April 24, 2000 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Hughes 500C (helicopter), registered N9177F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Salina, Kansas. It was a personal 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 loss of tail rotor effectiveness and the autorotation performed by the pilot. The unfavorable wind was a contributing factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 24, 2000 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Salina, Kansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 500C
- Registration
- N9177F · registry record · serial 4304655
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported losing directional control while maneuvering backwards and turning into the prevailing wind, which he reported as a "little gusty". Recorded weather reported a wind speed of 11 knots 12 nm east of the accident site. The pilot then performed a hovering autorotation during which the helicopter contacted the terrain with a left drift. The Rotorcraft Flying Handbook describes the characteristics associated with a loss of tail rotor effectiveness resulting from certain combinations of wind azimuth and helicopter airspeeds. Metallurgical examination of the helicopter's tail rotor assembly revealed no preexisting anomalies.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 11,139 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 117 in the last 90 days; 39 in the last 30 days; 9,332 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,758 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 21, 1999; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SLN KS at 9:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 162°F (72°C), dew point 131°F (55°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from SLN, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI00LA121.