Hughes OH-6A accident near Brooksville, Florida, November 15, 2003
On November 15, 2003 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Hughes OH-6A (helicopter), registered N369PS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Brooksville, Florida (Brooksville airport). 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
A loss of engine power due to the pilot's failure to adequately plan for the flight which resulted in fuel exhaustion, a forced landing, and damage to the helicopter during the landing.
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 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Brooksville, Florida · Brooksville · map
- Type
- Accident
- 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
- N369PS · registry record · serial 391105
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that as he was approaching to land, and while on the downwind leg, all gages were indicating normal. He said that at an altitude of about 200 to 300 feet AGL, he pushed the collective down to initiate the descent, and lights and engine out warnings commenced. He said he immediately entered an autorotation and landed the helicopter, but during the landing on uneven ground the right skid was lower and dug into the ground, causing the helicopter to nose down. The main rotor blades then contacted the tail boom, severing it, and the helicopter rotated about 90 degrees. The pilot said that he did not receive any low fuel warning signal, and that prior to the accident there had been no failures or malfunctions to the helicopter or any of its systems. Postcrash examination of the helicopter by an FAA inspector and a representative from Rolls Royce/Allison Engine Company revealed about 1 quart of fuel remaining when the fuel bladders were drained through the fuel drain. In addition, when the fuel line to the injectors was removed and drained, about 20 ml of fuel was recovered, and when the fuel filter on the fuel control was removed, inspected and drained, the filter was found to be clean, and about 1/8 bowl of fuel was recovered. The inspector stated that fuel had been exhausted from the helicopter, and added that there had been a fold in the fuel tank bladder that he thought was affecting the fuel float assembly ,and was giving a false fuel quantity reading, as well as affecting the low fuel warning. According to the Rolls Royce/Allison Engine company representative, who examined the helicopter in the presence of the FAA inspector and the pilot, all helicopter systems were found to be functional. The representative said that he did find a small folded crease in the left fuel tank bladder when he opened the panel, gaining entry to the fuel tank, but further stated that the crease was about 1 to 1 1/2-inches in height, and about 1/4 inch across, and it would not have affected the fuel tank capacity. In addition, the engine was shipped to Rolls Royce/Allison Engine Company for a test run which revealed that the engine functioned within parameters, with no anomalies being noted.
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: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 750 hours in all; 90 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 610 as pilot in command; 39 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 26, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,073 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 10, 2003; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,250 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison T63A 700 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TIX Titusville FL at 7:00 pm
- Destination: BKV Brooksville FL
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from TPA
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.
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.