HONESDALE, PA, USA
N9483F
HUGHES 269B
The pilot stated that after takeoff from the heliport, 'He felt a low frequency vibration.' He elected to return to the heliport to determine the cause of the vibration. After the pilot landed, he had the collective positioned to full down when the helicopter began a violent forward and aft gyration. The main rotors struck the ground. Examination of the landing skids revealed that the left (4H) shock strut assembly had separated from the landing skid due to severe exfoiliation corrosion at both attaching lugs. All three remaining struts were attached.
On July 22, 1995, about 1730 eastern daylight time, a Hughes 269B, helicopter, N9483F, was destroyed after the landing gear skid collapsed while standing with the engine operating, at a private heliport (P48), near Honesdale, Pennsylvania. The private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The local, personal flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot stated that after take off from the heliport he, "felt a low frequency vibration." He thought this was associated with the main rotor, so he elected to return to the heliport to determine the cause of the vibration. He landed on the helipad and tried to make radio contact with his instructor to advise him of the problem. According to the pilot's statement on the NTSB Form 6120.1/2: ...the machine was completely on the ground with the pitch stick in the full down position. Rotor and engine RPM's were at operating range. I reached my cyclic hand to adjust the radio, and no sooner returned it [to the cyclic] to pull [the] trigger and talk...the helicopter began a violent forward and aft gyration and pounding...it proceeded to self destruct around me.... The examination of the landing skids, revealed that the left (4H) shock strut assembly had separated from the landing skid. According to the FAA Inspector's statement: ...severe exfoliation corrosion was noticed at both attaching lugs. The lugs had failed due to corrosion. All three (3) remaining shock struts were attached. At the time of the accident, the pilot had 224 total flight hours, 80 hours as a student pilot, rotorcraft, and 10 flight hours in this make and model helicopter. The reported winds, at the time of the accident, were calm.
Corrosion and subsequent failure of the attaching lugs for the left (4H) shock strut assembly, which resulted in collapse of the landing gear/skid.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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