19990608006659A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Hughes 369D · South Bend, WA · June 8, 1999

Date: June 8, 1999 · 09:20 local
Place: South Bend, WA
Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N8306F
NTSB investigation: NTSBSEA99LA082
Reported as: Hughes 369D
Fatal injuries: 0

N8306FRegistered now · Hughes Helicopters HUGHES 369DS/N 380274D · Built 1978 Airframe modelHughes Helicopters HUGHES 369D Engine 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.

1978 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 external load at 100 foot hover and experienced power loss. Executed autorotation and experienced hard landing and power off rotor sudden stoppage. Helicopter rolled on right side. Substantial damage to rigth side of fuselage. Tail boom seperated mid span, with detached portion of boom laying approximately 30 feet from aircraft. Engine exmaination found air transfer tube damage, and mounting bolts for compressor to gearbox attachment sheared. Aircraft released to owner for transportation to base for further examination. On 6-10-99, inspection helicopter at owners main base. Found #1 bearing housing seperated from front compressor housing. N1 and N2 gear train of engine found seized.

As the FAA filed it

1978 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 EXTERNAL LOAD AT 100 FOOT HOVER AND EXPERIENCED POWER LOSS. EXECUTED AUTOROTATION AND EXPERIENCED HARD LANDING AND POWER OFF ROTOR SUDDEN STOPPAGE. HELICOPTER ROLLED ON RIGHT SIDE. SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO RIGTH SIDE OF FUSELAGE. TAIL BOOM SEPERATED MID SPAN, WITH DETACHED PORTION OF BOOM LAYING APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET FROM AIRCRAFT. ENGINE EXMAINATION FOUND AIR TRANSFER TUBE DAMAGE, AND MOUNTING BOLTS FOR COMPRESSOR TO GEARBOX ATTACHMENT SHEARED. AIRCRAFT RELEASED TO OWNER FOR TRANSPORTATION TO BASE FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION. ON 6-10-99, INSPECTION HELICOPTER AT OWNERS MAIN BASE. FOUND #1 BEARING HOUSING SEPERATED FROM FRONT COMPRESSOR HOUSING. N1 AND N2 GEAR TRAIN OF ENGINE FOUND SEIZED.

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 SEA99LA082Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSouthbend, WAThe complete loss of power, due to a failure of the compressor impeller disk. Factors include the low altitude of the helicopter at the time of the power loss, and the need to autorotate in a confined area.Jun 8, 1999 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N8306F · 4

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

Accident 19970521011659APwr Off Vert Land/Autorotate · Moclips, WA(.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…May 21, 1997 · Substantial damage Accident 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 fatal Incident 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 damage Accident 19790121001309AFinal Approach · Marble, COPilot lost ground reference due to snow white-out caused by rotors during landing approach.Jan 21, 1979 · Substantial damage