# Accident 19961028034419A: Hughes 369HS, Vestaburg, MI, October 28, 1996

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 28, 1996, 12:50 local time
- Place: Vestaburg, MI
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
- Operator: I8RL
- Location: 43.3907° N, 84.9003° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.3907&lon=-84.9003&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9251F, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9251F-1998-08-28) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Hughes 369HS (registry code 4470728, https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-369hs) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES 369HS
- Reported engine: ALLSN 250C20
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 1,875 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI97LA016](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI97LA016) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19961028034419A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

HELICOPTER WAS LIFTING BUNDLES OF CHRISTMAS TREES WHEN IT STRUCK POWER LINES AND CRASHED. (-23) PILOT STRUCK AND BROKE HIGH TENSION POWER LINES RUNNING THROUGH MIDDLE OF FIELD WHERE HE WAS CONDUCTING CHRISTMAS TREE LIFT/LOADING OPERATION. AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT STRUCK GROUND. PILOT DIED OF INJURIES 1 WEEK AFTER ACCIDENT.                                                (.4) THE PILOT HAD JUST DROPPED OFF A LOAD OFF CHRISTMAS TREES, AND WAS RELOCATING THE HELICOPTER FROM THE NORTH SIDE OF A FIELD TO THE SOUTH SIDE WHEN THE ROTOR BLADES OF THE HELICOPTER CONTACTED POWER LINES. ONE WITNESS REPORTED THAT HE HEARD NO ABNORMAL ENGINE NOISES COMING FROM THE HELICOPTER, BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. ANOTHER WITNESS REPORTED THAT THE PILOT APPEARED TO DUCK JUST BEFORE THE HELICOPTER CONTACTED THE WIRES. AN ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION OF THE AIRFRAME AND ENGINE DID NOT REVEAL ANY ABNORMALITIES.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CHI97LA016](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI97LA016), Oct 28, 1996: Hughes 369 (N9251F), Vestaburg, MI, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: failure of the pilot to maintain clearance with the wires.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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