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19970521011659A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Hughes 369D · Moclips, WA · May 21, 1997

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
May 21, 1997 · 10:00 local
Place
Moclips, WA
Phase of flight
Pwr Off Vert Land/Autorotate
Operating rules
Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N8306F
NTSB investigation
NTSBSEA97LA118
Reported as
Hughes 369D
Reported engine
Allison 250C20B
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
10,000 total10,000 in this make and model150 in the last 90 days
N8306FRegistered now · Hughes Helicopters HUGHES 369DS/N 380274D · Built 1978Airframe modelHughes Helicopters HUGHES 369DEngine modelAllison 250 SER 400HPTurbo-shaft

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(.4) The pilot reported that he lifted off vertically and turned the helicopter downwind toward the first sling load. When the helicopter attained an altitude of 70 to 80 feet above ground level, the engine experienced a loss of power. The pilot initiated a hovering autorotation and just before touchdown, the left side landing skid collided with a 17 gallon fuel jug. The helicopter began to roll to the right and the right side landing skid collided with the ground and collapsed. The helicopter continued to roll to the right and came to rest on its right side. Post accident investigation of the engine revealed that the pneumatic line at the fuel control of the engine was disconnected. Two days prior to the accident the fuel control had been replaced and the mechanic stated that all of the b-nuts had been properly torqued. The pneumatic line, b-nut and threads, and the mating connection on the fuel control were inspected for damage. There was no evidence of damage found to indicate how the b-nut could have backed off the fuel control connection if it had been properly torqued.

As the FAA filed it

(.4) THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE LIFTED OFF VERTICALLY AND TURNED THE HELICOPTER DOWNWIND TOWARD THE FIRST SLING LOAD. WHEN THE HELICOPTER ATTAINED AN ALTITUDE OF 70 TO 80 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER. THE PILOT INITIATED A HOVERING AUTOROTATION AND JUST BEFORE TOUCHDOWN, THE LEFT SIDE LANDING SKID COLLIDED WITH A 17 GALLON FUEL JUG. THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO ROLL TO THE RIGHT AND THE RIGHT SIDE LANDING SKID COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND AND COLLAPSED. THE HELICOPTER CONTINUED TO ROLL TO THE RIGHT AND CAME TO REST ON ITS RIGHT SIDE. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE PNEUMATIC LINE AT THE FUEL CONTROL OF THE ENGINE WAS DISCONNECTED. TWO DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT THE FUEL CONTROL HAD BEEN REPLACED AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT ALL OF THE B-NUTS HAD BEEN PROPERLY TORQUED. THE PNEUMATIC LINE, B-NUT AND THREADS, AND THE MATING CONNECTION ON THE FUEL CONTROL WERE INSPECTED FOR DAMAGE. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF DAMAGE FOUND TO INDICATE HOW THE B-NUT COULD HAVE BACKED OFF THE FUEL CONTROL CONNECTION IF IT HAD BEEN PROPERLY TORQUED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB SEA97LA118Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportMoclips, WAInadequate installation of the fuel control by company maintenance personnel and a loose nut on a line. A disconnected Pc line was a factor.May 21, 1997 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N8306F · 4

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19990608006659ASouth Bend, WA1978 Hughes 369D helicopter was involved in an external load operation when the acft engine failed, the pilot autorotated the acft, and the acft made a hard landing and sustained substantial damage, other circumstances are unknown. (-23) helicopter released…Jun 8, 1999 · Substantial damageAccident 19900521016979AHovering · Kelso, WATried to lift sling load of wood blocks through dense tree cover causing blocks to fall. Hit crewman without hardhatMay 21, 1990 · 1 fatalIncident 19830902067739ITo Running(Helicopter/Vtol Ac) · Scottys Junctio, NVMain rotors severed 3 powerlines during climbout. Made normal landing. Poor egress route planning.Sep 2, 1983 · Minor damageAccident 19790121001309AFinal Approach · Marble, COPilot lost ground reference due to snow white-out caused by rotors during landing approach.Jan 21, 1979 · Substantial damage