On August 13, 1984, a Hughes 300/269C (registration N1105X) was involved in an aviation accident near Freeport, IL. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A helicopter giving sightseeing rides settled into a cornfield during a planned autorotation; the tail boom and tail rotor separated and the aircraft spun into the ground.
Incident Overview
A helicopter operating sightseeing flights at Albertus Airport experienced a tail boom separation during a maneuver. The two passengers had asked the pilot for an exciting ride.
Sequence of Events
The pilot stated that he intended to demonstrate an autorotation to a corn field and make a power recovery. After flaring and applying power, the aircraft settled into the corn. As the pilot attempted to fly out of the crops, the aft two feet of the tail boom and the tail rotor separated. The pilot lost control, and the helicopter spun until it collided with the ground.
Damage
The tail boom and tail rotor separated from the aircraft during the event. No further damage details were provided.
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