Tampa Police Department Hughes 269B Helicopter crash 1971
A $40,000 police helicopter crashed at the Peter O Knight airport during training on February 25, 1971. According to reports, the Hughes 269B helicopter, one of two that the police department used for surveillance, crashed due to operator error. Police pilot E. J. Stith was instructing inexperienced pilot W. M. Stevens as they practice a crash landing. Stevens wasn’t qualified for helicopter service and was receiving instruction from Stith when the incident occurred. According to the NTSB, the craft was attempting an auto rotative landing, where power is cut to the rotors in order for the pilot to practice crash landings. The report states that the craft hit the ground hard and bounced once, but the instructor was unable to recover. The chopper ended up on its side, and the blades were crumpled, totaling it. Neither pilot sustained serious injury. The NTSB states the cause of the incident was improper operation of the powerplant and inadequate supervision of flight.
Unlike the crash of the Phantom F4C2 in 1966, where five homes were damaged on Davis Islands after the crew ejected returning from a training flight, there was little publicity about the embarrassing police department helicopter accident.
These photos were taken by aerial photographer Skip Gandy who flew out of Peter O Knight Airport and spent significant time there. He was most likely on scene when the incident occurred. The helicopter, also known as a Hughes 300, was used by many police departments and the military for training. It was an exceptionally stable aircraft, and over 60,000 Army pilots trained in it.
$40,000 Hughes 269B police helicopter crashed at the Peter O Knight airport during training on February 25, 1971. © Skip Gandy. Courtesy of the University of South Florida Digital Collection
The ship was a total loss. Lt Al Ford said they may be able to salvage the motor© Skip Gandy. Courtesy of the University of South Florida Digital Collection
The windshield was lost in the crash. Skip Gandy. Courtesy of the University of South Florida Digital Collection
The underbelly of the helicopter remained intact© Skip Gandy. Courtesy of the University of South Florida Digital Collection
The nearby crew rushed from the hangar after hearing the crash and immediately drained the fuel tanks to prevent gas from dripping on the engines and starting a fire. In this photo, they are inspecting the damage. Skip Gandy. Courtesy of the University of South Florida Digital Collection