Premium research interface

The modern interface for aviation safety intelligence.

Search investigations, review source evidence, monitor watched reports, and trace long-term patterns from one calm, data-first workspace.

63k+
Reports indexed
1940-2026
Coverage
Recent
Last data refresh
Featured Report

Loading…

Loading featured report…

Loading…
Open Report

Safety trends by operating rule

Track fatal and non-fatal accident patterns across Part 91, Part 135, and Part 121 operations.

Loading trend charts…

Browse the aviation graph

Move quickly by aircraft, airport, operator, and time with indexes built for research, not wandering.

Last Data Update

By Decade

By Month

Aircraft Manufacturer

More manufacturers

Airports

More airports

Operators

More operators

About

Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

The goal is practical safety education: make it faster to find relevant investigations, compare similar events, review factual records, and understand the evidence behind probable-cause and preliminary reports.

The investigative work and source records belong to the National Transportation Safety Board and the published investigation record. This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NTSB.

FAQs

NTSB Report

July 27, 1995 · Hughes 269C · N747MK

Redlands, CA

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
July 27, 1995
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 minor injury), 1 uninjured
Location
Redlands, CA
Aircraft
Hughes 269C
Tail Number
N747MK
Injuries
Minor
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
LAX95LA271

THE HELICOPTER EXPERIENCED GROUND RESONANCE DURING THE COOL DOWN PERIOD AFTER LANDING AND SUBSEQUENTLY ROLLED OVER ON ITS SIDE. THE ENGINE AND MAIN ROTOR RPM WAS INSUFFICIENT FOR THE PILOT TO EFFECT A CORRECTIVE LIFTOFF. EXAMINATION OF THE LANDING GEAR ACTUATORS DISCLOSED THAT THEY WERE NOT FULLY CHARGED. ONE ACTUATOR'S REQUIRED BAFFLE WAS NOT REINSTALLED AFTER A FIELD REPAIR.

NTSB Probable Cause

The company's maintenance personnel improper servicing of the landing skid actuators.

Full Narrative

On July 27, 1995, at 1645 hours Pacific daylight time, a Hughes 269C helicopter, N747MK, encountered ground resonance and rolled over during the postflight cool down period at Redlands Municipal Airport, Redlands, California. The pilot was completing a local visual flight rules personal flight. The helicopter, registered to and operated by M.I. Air Corporation, Redlands, California, sustained substantial damage. The certificated private pilot was not injured; however, his passenger sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at the airport at 1545 hours. The pilot said in the aircraft accident report that after departing the airport with a passenger, he flew in the local area and returned at 1620 hours. The passenger deplaned and another passenger boarded the helicopter. He departed on a local flight and returned at 1645 hours. During the landing, he felt the helicopter enter the beginning stages of ground resonance. He immediately lifted the helicopter to a 3-foot hover and the ground resonance dissipated. While in the hover, he decided to do some hover pedal turns. During the turn to the right, the pilot noticed that the winds were gusting erratically and he elected to land. The touchdown was smooth and the initial cool down period was normal at 2,800 rpm. After the engine cylinder head temperature decreased, the pilot reduced the engine speed to 2,000 rpm. During the power reduction, the helicopter began to vibrate and between 2 and 3 seconds later, ". . . the helicopter was in pieces . . . ." The passenger repeated the pilot's statement as to the sequence of events. She said that during the cool down period the helicopter began to shake, slowly at first, and then violently. The helicopter "tipped over" and came to rest on its right side. Investigators sent the helicopter's four landing gear actuators and three elastomeric dampers to Schweizer Aircraft Corporation for functional testing and examination. The testing and examination were done under the supervision of a Federal Aviation Administration principal maintenance inspector from the Rochester [New York] Flight Standards District Office. The inspector reported that the testing was accomplished on September 8, 1995. He said that the actuators were improperly charged and that the right rear actuator was disassembled. The disassembly examination revealed that a required baffle, P/N 269A3167, was not installed. The inspector also said that the elastomeric dampers were severely overloaded. A Schweizer Aircraft Corporation engineer said that the baffle, used to deflect the hydraulic fluid from the compressed gasses, is installed on all actuators when manufactured. He said that the company authorized field maintenance personnel to repair the actuators. He said that the baffle was inadvertently not reinstalled. An actuator without the baffle could cause the piston to fully compress and give erratic damping action. The engineer also said that a low charged actuator would exceed the compression limits and affect the phasing of the main rotor system. This condition would lead to ground resonance.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time16:45 PDT
Nearest AirportREDLANDS (0nm)
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftHughes 269C
Tail NumberN747MK
Aircraft CategoryHeli
DamageSubstantial
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · HIO-360-DIA · Reciprocating · 190
Seats2

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 minor injury), 1 uninjured
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor1
Uninjured1
Total2
Crew 1Age 27 · Third Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind270° @ 10 kt, gusting 15 kt
Visibility5 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point10 C / 0 C
Altimeter0
Weather SourcePILO

Appendix: Source Data