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19980810020269A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Hughes 369D · Darrington, WA · August 10, 1998

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
August 10, 1998 · 10:00 local
Place
Darrington, WA
Phase of flight
Normal Cruise
Operating rules
Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
Operator
GHHL
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N1096L
NTSB investigation
NTSBSEA98LA160
Reported as
Hughes 369D
Reported engine
Allison 250C20B
Fatal injuries
0
N1096LRegistration cancelled Nov 19, 2014 · Hughes Helicopters HUGHES 369DS/N 800789D · Built 1980Airframe modelHughes Helicopters HUGHES 369DEngine modelAllison 250 SER 250HPTurbo-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.

Helicopter crashed when the tail rotor failed while performing logging operation. (-23) see attached. No narrative attached. (.19) on August 10, 1998, approximately 1000 pacific daylight time, a Mcdonnell Douglas 500D helicopter, N1096L, registered to and being operated by eagle air helicopters, inc., and being flown by a commercial pilot, was substantially damaged when the tail rotor assembly departed the aircraft. The pilot sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The flight, which had just departed a staging site, was en route downslope to the work site where the pilot would be lifting and transporting shake blocks. The flight was to have been operated under 14CFR133. The pilot reported hearing a "bang" and then saw an object depart from the helicopter. Immediately thereafter, the aircraft began rotating about its vertical axis. The pilot attempted to execute a forced landing in a clear-cut area during which the aircraft was further damaged.

As the FAA filed it

HELICOPTER CRASHED WHEN THE TAIL ROTOR FAILED WHILE PERFORMING LOGGING OPERATION. (-23) SEE ATTACHED. NO NARRATIVE ATTACHED. (.19) ON AUGUST 10, 1998, APPROXIMATELY 1000 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A MCDONNELL DOUGLAS 500D HELICOPTER, N1096L, REGISTERED TO AND BEING OPERATED BY EAGLE AIR HELICOPTERS, INC., AND BEING FLOWN BY A COMMERCIAL PILOT, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN THE TAIL ROTOR ASSEMBLY DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE FLIGHT, WHICH HAD JUST DEPARTED A STAGING SITE, WAS EN ROUTE DOWNSLOPE TO THE WORK SITE WHERE THE PILOT WOULD BE LIFTING AND TRANSPORTING SHAKE BLOCKS. THE FLIGHT WAS TO HAVE BEEN OPERATED UNDER 14CFR133. THE PILOT REPORTED HEARING A "BANG" AND THEN SAW AN OBJECT DEPART FROM THE HELICOPTER. IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN ROTATING ABOUT ITS VERTICAL AXIS. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO EXECUTE A FORCED LANDING IN A CLEAR-CUT AREA DURING WHICH THE AIRCRAFT WAS FURTHER DAMAGED.

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 SEA98LA160Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportOso, WAThe separation of the 90 degree gearbox and tail rotor assembly for undetermined reasons followed by the inability of the pilot-in-command to maintain control of the rotorcraft.Aug 10, 1998 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N1096L · 3

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

Accident 19981208032939AFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · Queets, WAHughes 369D helicopter was lifting an external load of shingles when it flew into a tree and crashed. (.19) on December 8, 1998, about 1145 pacific standard time, a Hughes 369D, N1096L, registered to and operated by eagle air helicopters as a 14 CFR part 133…Dec 8, 1998 · Substantial damageIncident 19841113076319INormal Cruise · Humtulips, WASling rope broke and hook became entangled in main rotor. Rope wrapped around and severed tail boom.Nov 13, 1984 · DestroyedAccident 19820519017419AHovering · Birkenfeld, ORLow fuel light flickered. Began landing for fuel. Engine quit. Struck hillside. No usable fuel in tank.May 19, 1982 · Substantial damage