20031217036429A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Hughes 369D · Wheeler, HI · December 17, 2003

Date: December 17, 2003 · 16:25 local
Place: Wheeler, HI
Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
Operator: DBZL
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N1113L
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX04LA116
Reported as: Hughes 369D
Reported engine: Allison 250C20
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 12,018 total9,039 in this make and model70 in the last 90 days

N1113LRegistration cancelled Jan 9, 2018 · Hughes Helicopters HUGHES 369DS/N 1100837D Airframe modelHughes Helicopters HUGHES 369D Engine modelAllison 250-C20 seriesTurbo-prop

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) During last flight from field site, pilot elected to pick up an external load without utilizing a long line. Included in the load were four ladders, one six feet long, one eight feet long, and two that were twelve feet long. After the aircraft departed, it picked up speed and the pilot heard a bang, and felt the aircraft pitch forward and roll left. One of the twelve foot ladders had moved backwards with the aircraft's forward speed, and struck the tail rotor. The tail rotor separated from the aircraft. The pilot entered autorotation and successfully landed in a riverbed. The aircraft was destroyed. The pilot was uninjured.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) DURING LAST FLIGHT FROM FIELD SITE, PILOT ELECTED TO PICK UP AN EXTERNAL LOAD WITHOUT UTILIZING A LONG LINE. INCLUDED IN THE LOAD WERE FOUR LADDERS, ONE SIX FEET LONG, ONE EIGHT FEET LONG, AND TWO THAT WERE TWELVE FEET LONG. AFTER THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED, IT PICKED UP SPEED AND THE PILOT HEARD A BANG, AND FELT THE AIRCRAFT PITCH FORWARD AND ROLL LEFT. ONE OF THE TWELVE FOOT LADDERS HAD MOVED BACKWARDS WITH THE AIRCRAFT'S FORWARD SPEED, AND STRUCK THE TAIL ROTOR. THE TAIL ROTOR SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT ENTERED AUTOROTATION AND SUCCESSFULLY LANDED IN A RIVERBED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. THE PILOT WAS UNINJURED.

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 LAX04LA116Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportWahiawa, HIThe pilot's failure to properly secure the external sling load, which allowed the load to shift, and subsequently strike and remove the tail rotor.Dec 18, 2003 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N1113L · 3

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

Accident 19930611017949ALow Level Operations · Kahului Maui, HITail rotor struck a rock while herding cattle on a slope. Main rotors chopped tailboom during hard forced landing.Jun 11, 1993 · Substantial damage Accident 19901208053229APwr Off Vert Land/Autorotate · Haleakla Natl P, HIEngine quit while attempting to lift animal cage,made hard autorotation landing,hit post.Dec 8, 1990 · Substantial damage Accident 19871113081019APwr Off Run Land (Autorotation · Honolulu, HILoss of engine power during an external load operation. Impacted the ground. Cause was fuel exhaustion.Nov 13, 1987 · Substantial damage