# Accident 19990901026399A: Hughes 369HS, Pacific Ocean, Guam, September 1, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 1, 1999, 10:00 local time
- Place: Pacific Ocean, Guam
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft: N42054, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N42054-2017-06-21) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Hughes 369HS (registry code 4470728, https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-369hs) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Allison 250-C20 series (registry code 03020, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c20-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES 369HS
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 2
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX99LA292](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA292) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990901026399A

## Narrative

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

(.19) ON SEPTEMBER 1, 1999, ABOUT 1000 HOURS LOCAL SHIP TIME, A HUGHES 369HS, N42054, CRASHED INTO THE PACIFIC OCEAN ABOUT 1200 MILES SOUTHEAST OF GUAM UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES.  THE HELICOPTER, OPERATED BY HOFFMAN HELICOPTERS, INC., OF YONA, GUAM, WAS DESTROYED.  THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND NON-RATED PILOT OBSERVER WERE FATALLY INJURED.  THE LOCAL AERIAL OBSERVATION FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91 AND HAD ORIGINATED FROM A FISHING VESSEL ABOUT 0950.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE CAPTAIN OF THE FISHING VESSEL REPORTED THAT THE PILOT AND OBSERVER HAD BEEN CONDUCTING TUNA SPOTTING OPERATIONS AND HAD FLOWN FOR ABOUT 1 HOUR 20 MINUTES EARLIER THAT MORNING.  HE STATED THAT HE HAD ESTABLISHED RADIO COMMUNICATION WITH THE PILOT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT.  HE REALIZED THE HELICOPTER HAD CRASHED WHEN THE PILOT STOPPED RESPONDING TO RADIO COMMUNICATION.  THE SHIP WAS APPROXIMATELY 30 MILES AWAY FROM THE HELICOPTER AT THAT TIME.  WHEN THE SHIP ARRIVED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE, THE CREWMEMBERS LOCATED THE HELICOPTER'S FLOATS, SEATS, AND THE ENGINE.  THEY DID NOT LOCATE ANY OTHER COMPONENTS. THE CAPTAIN TOOK  NOTE OF THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. HE STATED THAT THE WINDS WERE CALM, THE SKY WAS CLEAR WITH NO CEILING, AND VISIBILITY WAS 30 MILES OR GREATER.  HE REPORTED THAT THE SEA WAS FLAT AND CLEAR. THE CAPTAIN REPORTED THAT THE SHIP HAD DEPARTED FROM GUAM ON AUGUST 25, 1999.  SINCE THEN, THE PILOT HAD FLOWN THREE FLIGHTS WITH A TOTAL OF ABOUT 4 FLIGHT HOURS.  THE CAPTAIN STATED THAT THE PILOT DID NOT MENTION ANY MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE HELICOPTER.  HE FURTHER STATED THAT THE HELICOPTER WAS EQUIPPED WITH THREE RADIOS THAT WORKED FROM EITHER THE PILOT OR OBSERVER SIDE.  THE HELICOPTER WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH DUAL FLIGHT CONTROLS.                        (-23)HELICOPTER WAS BEING USED AS A FISH SPOTTER AND CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES. THE PILOT AND OBSERVER WERE FATALLY INJURED. WIND WAS CALM, SEA FLAT, VISIBILITY 30 MILES PLUS. A/C WAS DESTROYED.

## 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 LAX99LA292](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA292), Sep 1, 1999: Hughes 369HS (N42054), Pohnpei (Pacific Ocean), destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: An in-flight collision with the water for undetermined reasons.

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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