20050516010239A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Hughes 369D · Maui, HI · May 16, 2005

Date: May 16, 2005
Place: Maui, HI
Phase of flight: Pwr Off Vert Land/Autorotate
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator: WVXA
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N611WA
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX05LA176
Reported as: Hughes 369D
People aboard: 4
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 14,429 total12,584 in this make and model26 in the last 90 days

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 may 16, 2005 windward aviation inc. was forty two minutes into flight when aircraft N611WA engine started to decelerate, the engine out light and the low RPM horn was activated. The pilot immediately lowered the collective and started his autorotation, he then located a spot to land the aircraft near the shoreline. During his landing on a semi level rocking area, the aircraft touched down. However after the aircraft was settled down, it started to slide backward due to a slope on the rocks. When this movement occurred, the tail rotor contacted the rocks as the blades were decelerated.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON MAY 16, 2005 WINDWARD AVIATION INC. WAS FORTY TWO MINUTES INTO FLIGHT WHEN AIRCRAFT N611WA ENGINE STARTED TO DECELERATE, THE ENGINE OUT LIGHT AND THE LOW RPM HORN WAS ACTIVATED. THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE AND STARTED HIS AUTOROTATION, HE THEN LOCATED A SPOT TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT NEAR THE SHORELINE. DURING HIS LANDING ON A SEMI LEVEL ROCKING AREA, THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN. HOWEVER AFTER THE AIRCRAFT WAS SETTLED DOWN, IT STARTED TO SLIDE BACKWARD DUE TO A SLOPE ON THE ROCKS. WHEN THIS MOVEMENT OCCURRED, THE TAIL ROTOR CONTACTED THE ROCKS AS THE BLADES WERE DECELERATED.

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 LAX05LA176Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportKihei, HIthe partial loss of engine power due to fuel contamination. The fuel contamination was due to the failure of the maintenance personnel to ensure that the helicopter's fuel system had been thoroughly cleaned after a known previous contamination event, and the…May 16, 2005 · Substantial damage