On October 31, 1997, a Hughes 269B (registration N2273W) was involved in an aviation accident near Cleveland, OH. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: the pilot's failure to recover from settling-with-power. Factors relating to the accident were: the pilot's downwind approach and low airspeed. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot reported losing control of a helicopter during a downwind approach in gusty winds, resulting in an uncontrolled descent and crash. The pilot could not arrest the descent or maintain directional control.
Incident
A helicopter crashed following a loss of control during a downwind approach to an airport. The pilot reported that while flying in winds reported at 20 knots, the aircraft encountered winds up to 35 knots.
Pilot Report
During the approach, the pilot stated that he could not arrest the helicopter's descent using the collective control. Additionally, he was unable to maintain directional control with the anti-torque pedals. The helicopter spun to the right during the uncontrolled descent and subsequently crashed.
Sequence of Events
The pilot described the event: "...the engine was at redline and I was running out of collective. It spun around to the right again and to the ground."