# Accident 19991203035799A: Hughes 369E, Salem, OR, December 3, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 3, 1999, 10:44 local time
- Place: Salem, OR
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
- Operator: GMUL
- Location: 45.0097° N, 122.9104° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.0097&lon=-122.9104&mi=10
- Aircraft: N11KV, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N11KV-2013-05-15) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Hughes 500-E (registry code 4470807, https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-500-e) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Allison 250-C20 series (registry code 03020, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c20-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES 369E
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA00LA028](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA00LA028) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19991203035799A

## Narrative

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

(.19) ON DECEMBER 3, 1999, APPROXIMATELY 1030 PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A HUGHES 369E HELICOPTER, N11KV, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING AFTER SUSTAINING IN-FLIGHT DAMAGE TO THE TAIL ROTOR WHILE CONDUCTING CHRISTMAS TREE EXTERNAL LOAD OPERATIONS (14 CFR 133) NEAR SALEM, OREGON. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES.  THERE WAS NO FLIGHT PLAN FOR THE LOCAL FLIGHT, WHICH WAS CONDUCTED IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS.  THERE WAS NO REPORT OF AN ELT ACTUATING. THE HELICOPTER WAS OPERATING WITH A 25 FOOT LONG-LINE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.  THE PILOT WAS RETURNING TO PICK UP ANOTHER LOAD OF TREES, WHEN HE HEARD A BANG AND RELEASED THE CABLE.  HE WAS ESTIMATED TO BE BETWEEN 30 AND 50 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL AT THE TIME.  THE HELICOPTER MADE THREE TO FIVE ROTATIONS TO THE RIGHT BEFORE THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO LAND.  THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD AN IMMEDIATE LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR EFFECTIVENESS.  DURING THE FORCED LANDING, THE MAIN ROTOR STRUCK AND SEPARATED THE TAIL BOOM. FAA INSPECTORS FOUND EVIDENCE OF WHITE PAINT TRANSFER ON THE LONG-LINE CABLE, AND ALSO SIGNATURES CONSISTENT WITH CABLE MARKS ON ONE OF THE TWO SEPARATED TAIL ROTOR BLADES.  WIT NESSES DID NOTE THAT GROUND FOG WAS FORMING IN THE AREA AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. (-23) ON 12/23/99 AT 104 4 A.M., N11KV, A MD-500-E (HUGHES 369E) HELICOPTER PILOTED BY ^PRIVACY DATA O^WAS CONDUCTING A CHRISTMAS TREE SLING LOAD OPERATION AT NOBLE MOUNTAIN TREE FARM. DURING THE OPERATION, THE SLING CABLE STRUCK THE TAIL ROTOR CAUSING FAILURE OF TAIL ROTOR GEAR BOX AND BLADES. THE HELICOPTER LOST CONTROL AND CRASHED INTO THE SIDE OF A HILL. THE HELICOPTER WAS OPERATED BY PATHFINDERS HELICOPTER, INC., SPOKANE, WASHINGTON, A FAR 133 OPERATOR (CERTIFICATE GMUL379E).

## 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 SEA00LA028](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA00LA028), Dec 3, 1999: Hughes 369E (N11KV), Salem, OR, substantial damage. Probable cause: Failure of the pilot to maintain ground clearance, resulting in the long-line snagging and then striking the tail rotor.

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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