Introduction
On April 25, 2014, at approximately 1430 central daylight time, a Hughes 269A helicopter, registration N90636, impacted terrain while performing a hover taxi at Cleburne Regional Airport (CPT) near Cleburne, Texas. The helicopter, operated by a private individual under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 for an instructional flight, sustained substantial damage to its fuselage and main rotor. Both the flight instructor and student pilot sustained minor injuries.
Accident Details
The flight originated from CPT at about 1230 under day visual flight rules with no flight plan. According to the student pilot's report, he was flying an air taxi and slowed to a hovering taxi when the helicopter began bucking violently fore and aft. The helicopter descended and came to rest on its side. The flight instructor stated that he agreed with the student's account and recalled feeling shaken and stirred violently before being helped out of the aircraft.
At 1435, the recorded weather at CPT was: wind 120 degrees at 11 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, sky clear, temperature 28°C, dew point 6°C, altimeter 30.00 inches of mercury.
Examination Findings
A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the wreckage and photographed the accident site. Ground scars indicated the helicopter was heading about 145 degrees on a ramp with buildings to the east and southeast. The scars were consistent with main rotor blade and tail rotor blade strikes.
A safety investigator from the helicopter manufacturer reviewed the photographs and determined that the ground scars and damage were consistent with the aft left skid contacting the ground while the helicopter was moving aft. The investigator noted that a helicopter is customarily pitched tail low when performing a quick stop from an air taxi. Main rotor blade ground scars were located to the left and aft of the fuselage, and torsional deformation of the tail rotor drive shaft at the forward end of the tail boom was consistent with the tail rotor blade contacting the ground while being driven.
The on-scene examination and photographic review revealed no pre-impact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the helicopter.