20030626018849A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Hughes 369D · Kaunakakai, HI · June 26, 2003

Date: June 26, 2003 · 13:15 local
Place: Kaunakakai, HI
Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
Operator: WVXA
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N633WA
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX03LA212
Reported as: Hughes 369D
Reported engine: Allison 250C20B
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 11,569 total8,500 in this make and model236 in the last 90 days

N633WARegistration cancelled May 14, 2004 · Hughes Helicopters HUGHES 369DS/N 042D Airframe modelHughes Helicopters HUGHES 369D

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.

(-23) On approach to dip for water during a fire-suppression flight, at approximately 150' AGL and 40 knots airspeed, a loud bang was heard. The pilot looked outside to the rear left and saw white smoke coming from the exhaust. He lowered the collective and began an autorotation. With little airspeed and at about 50' AGL, he began to flare but at a high rate of descent. He pulled the collective and fell through the last 4O feet to the ground. The aircraft hit hard yet level. After impact, the pilot rolled off the throttle, pulled the rotor brake and evacuated the aircraft. At that time, he smelled fire and heard crackling sounds. He suspects the fire started by the aircraft's hot exhaust coming into contact with the dry grass and brush he landed on. Visual inspection of the aircraft found that the landing gear assembly and the seat pan collapsed. The aircraft burned aft of the engine compartment and the plexiglass melted.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON APPROACH TO DIP FOR WATER DURING A FIRE-SUPPRESSION FLIGHT, AT APPROXIMATELY 150' AGL AND 40 KNOTS AIRSPEED, A LOUD BANG WAS HEARD. THE PILOT LOOKED OUTSIDE TO THE REAR LEFT AND SAW WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM THE EXHAUST. HE LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE AND BEGAN AN AUTOROTATION. WITH LITTLE AIRSPEED AND AT ABOUT 50' AGL, HE BEGAN TO FLARE BUT AT A HIGH RATE OF DESCENT. HE PULLED THE COLLECTIVE AND FELL THROUGH THE LAST 4O FEET TO THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT HIT HARD YET LEVEL. AFTER IMPACT, THE PILOT ROLLED OFF THE THROTTLE, PULLED THE ROTOR BRAKE AND EVACUATED THE AIRCRAFT. AT THAT TIME, HE SMELLED FIRE AND HEARD CRACKLING SOUNDS. HE SUSPECTS THE FIRE STARTED BY THE AIRCRAFT'S HOT EXHAUST COMING INTO CONTACT WITH THE DRY GRASS AND BRUSH HE LANDED ON. VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT FOUND THAT THE LANDING GEAR ASSEMBLY AND THE SEAT PAN COLLAPSED. THE AIRCRAFT BURNED AFT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND THE PLEXIGLASS MELTED.

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 LAX03LA212Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportKualapuu, HIthe total loss of engine power resulting from a fatigue failure of the 3rd stage turbine wheel airfoils. The reason for the airfoil's fatigue failure could not be determined.Jun 26, 2003 · Substantial damage