Hughes 269C N9655F accident near Gastonia, North Carolina

Preliminary information

On October 15, 2026 at 1330 eastern daylight time, a Hughes 269C, N9655F, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Gastonia, North Carolina. The pilot was not injured. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight.

The student pilot reported that he was practicing solo traffic pattern operations at Gastonia Municipal Airport (AKH), Gastonia, Georgia. Before touchdown on the fourth landing, less than 100 ft above ground level and less than 45 knots indicated airspeed, the pilot heard a loud bang. Immediately after, he heard the engine rpm increase and the rotor rpm decrease.

The pilot continued and landed the helicopter hard on the runway. He reported that the helicopter’s tail struck the ground, but that the helicopter landed upright on its skids. After exiting the helicopter, he observed that the clutch linear actuator was broken.

A post-accident examination conducted by an FAA inspector revealed that the actuating shaft for the clutch linear actuator was fractured, and the cable that connected it to the helicopter’s clutch assembly was no longer under tension. Substantial damage was observed to the helicopter’s fuselage and tail rotor transmission.

The wreckage was recovered and retained for further examination.

Text from the NTSB; a preliminary report can change and names no cause. Open the NTSB docket for ERA27LA013 for the full record.