# Accident 20010603013539A: Hughes 369D, Hanapepe, HI, June 3, 2001

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 3, 2001, 16:20 local time
- Place: Hanapepe, HI
- Airport: Port Allen Airport
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: FNHA
- Location: 21.9500° N, 159.5500° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=21.9500&lon=-159.5500&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1109V (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES 369D
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX01FA200](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01FA200) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010603013539A

## Narrative

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

(.19)ON JUNE 3, 2001, ABOUT 1620 HOURS HAWAIIAN STANDARD TIME, A MD HELICOPTERS, INC., 369D HELICOPTER, N1109V, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER NEAR HANAPEPE, HAWAII. SMOKEY MOUNTAIN HELICOPTERS, INC., WAS OPERATING THE HELICOPTER UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 135. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. THE MEDICAL EVACUATION FLIGHT BOARDED THREE FIREMEN AND DEPARTED PORT ALLEN AIRPORT AT HANAPEPE ABOUT 1615 EN ROUTE TO THE EASTERN SHORE OF THE ISLAND FOR A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) ACCIDENT COORDINATOR INTERVIEWED THE PILOT. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ENGINE OUT WARNING SYSTEM (LIGHT AND HORN) ACTIVATED. HE COULD NOT MAINTAIN FLIGHT AND AUTOROTATED INTO TREES. UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE FAA ACCIDENT COORDINATOR, AVIATION SAFETY INVESTIGATORS FROM MD HELICOPTERS, INC., AND ROLLS ROYCE ALLISON PERFORMED AN ON-SCENE EXAMINATION OF THE HELICOPTER. THE ENGINE PASSED A VACUUM LEAK CHECK, AND THEY FOUND ALL LINES HOOKED UP AND TIGHT. NO FUEL FILTERS EXHIBITED ANY CONTAMINATION AND THE CHIP DETECTORS WERE CLEAN. THE ENGINE COULD NOT BE TURNED BY HAND. THE ENGINE WAS SHIPPED TO A ROLLS ROYCE ALLISON AUTHORIZED SERVICE CENTER IN SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA, FOR FURTHER INSPECTION. (-23) PILOT WAS ABOUT 5 MINUTES INTO A SEARCH & RESCUE FLIGHT SUPPORTING THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT.  THE ENGINE OUT WARNING SYSTEM (LIGHT AND HORN) CAME ON.  HE LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE LEVER HALF WAY DOWN TO CORRECT A LEFT YAW.  HE HAD FULL OPEN THROTTLE POSITIONED.  HE BEEPED UP MANUALLY THE GOVERNOR WITHOUT ANY POSITIVE RESULTS. THERE WERE NO OTHER WARNINGS OR INDICATIONS ABOUT A POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE.  ALL NORMAL INDICATIONS UNTIL THE HELICOPTER STARTED TO LOSE POWER.  PILOT LOCATED A SAFE LANDING SPOT TO LAND.  HE FLARED THE HELICOPTER FOR LANDING AND THE STINGER STRUCK THE GROUND. THE HELICOPTER WAS IN A SLIGHT INCLINE, BUT DID NOT ROLL OVER.  SOME FUEL SPILLED OUT AND STARTED A FIRE FROM THE HOT EXHAUST.  ALL OCCUPANTS EXITED SAFELY AND HELPED PUT OUT THE FIRE.  HELICOPTER WAS RECOVERED AND RETURNED TO INTER-ISLAND HELICOPTER'S MAINTENANCE FACILITY FOR TEAR-DOWN.  ENGINE WAS REMOVED AND INSPECTED BY ROLLS-ROYCE ENGINES AND BOEING HELICOPTER TECHNICAL REP                                              RESENTATIVE. THE ENGINE WAS SHIPPED TO ENGINE REPAIR STATION FOR TEARDOWN AND FURTHER INVESTIGATION.

## 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 LAX01FA200](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01FA200), Jun 4, 2001: Hughes 369D (N1109V), Hanapepe, HI, substantial damage. Probable cause: a loss of engine power while in cruise flight resulting from the failure and liberation of several turbine blades due to hot corrosion effects which weakened the blades. The hot corrosion damage was…

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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