Hughes TH-55 accident near Cullman, Alabama, March 28, 1997
On March 28, 1997 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Hughes TH-55 (helicopter), registered N818D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cullman, Alabama (Cullman airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
a loss of engine power for undetermined reasons and the pilot-in-command's failure to maintain control of the helicopter. Factors in this accident were: an improper autorotation as a result of improper collective use and resulting failure to maintain main rotor rpm.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 28, 1997 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Cullman, Alabama · Cullman · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes TH-55 · all TH-55s on the register
- Registration
- N818D · registry record · serial 6716818
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor and student pilot remained in closed traffic in order to perform practice maneuvers and emergency procedure training to include autorotations. Witnesses saw the helicopter take off to the west and turn immediately to the right, climb to an altitude of 30 feet above ground level (AGL), and attain an estimated forward airspeed of 20 to 30 knots. The helicopter was then observed in a descent and disappear out of view before the witnesses heard the sound of impact with the ground. Several of the witnesses stated that just prior to impact they heard what sounded like the engine overspeed, and then cut off. The helicopter landed near a telephone pole and support lines. There was no evidence found to indicate that the helicopter contacted the pole or the lines. According to the first people to arrive at the crash site, the student pilot did not know what had happened. The CFI said, 'we had been flying for about an hour. We'd finished our training and were heading back with...[the student] on the controls, when the engine quit. I said I've got it and took the controls, but we were too low, with no time to recover, and crashed.' Examination of the wreckage revealed that the main and tail rotor RPM was low at impact,' because the rotor blades showed little damage. In addition, the engine and airframe examinations revealed no discrepancies. Several attempts were made to talk to the CFI at the hospital to get his factual account of the accident, but all attempts to interview him were unsuccessful. The NTSB Form 6120.1/2, was returned without a statement from 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: 1,287 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,489 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 8, 1996; 99 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3A1 at 11:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 16 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 pm from HTV, 22 miles away
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.