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OH-6 Cayuse/67-16119

Serial #: 67-16119
Construction #: -
Civil Registration:
  N536
Model: OH-6A
Name: None
Status: Unknown
Last info: 2007
   History:
Crashed and heavily damaged, Greenville, SC, Nov. 15, 2003.
Lancaster Helicopters Inc, Landisville, PA, Aug. 2004-2007.
- Registered as N536.
NTSB Identification: ATL04LA037.
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, November 15, 2003 in Greenville, SC
Probable Cause Approval Date: 3/30/2005
Aircraft: Hughes OH-6A, registration: N536
Injuries: 2 Uninjured.

According to the certified flight instructor (CFI), while conducting an instructional flight an autorotation was performed. After the autorotation the CFI brought the helicopter to a hover, and then climbed to an altitude of approximately 200 feet for another practice autorotation. The helicopter briefly shuttered and the aft section of the tail boom separated from the airframe. The helicopter began spinning and came to rest in a thicket of pine trees. According to a witness at the scene of the practice autorotation, he recalled hearing a loud "pop" when the helicopter touched down. The CFI did not hear or feel anything unusual during or after the autorotation, and reported a normal takeoff. A survey of the first touchdown point revealed a pie shaped piece of blue metal on the ground. Further examination revealed the pie shaped piece of metal fit an area on the tail boom. Examination revealed the main rotor blades had blue paint on the tips. No mechanical or flight control malfunction s were reported by the CFI.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's improper landing flare, resulting in a hard landing and a main rotor/tailboom strike.

Source(s):
Federal Aviation Administration, www.faa.gov, 2007.
Joe Baugher's Serial Numbers Page
NTSB, www.ntsb.gov
 Photo Source(s):
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Research Assistance:
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