OpenAirDocs.org

20050719018239A

Accident · Destroyed
Open the Markdown

FAA accident report · Hughes 369FF · Drake, CO · July 19, 2005

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
July 19, 2005 · 15:15 local
Place
Drake, CO
Phase of flight
Hovering
Operating rules
Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
Operator
UA7L
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N530TJ
NTSB investigation
NTSBDEN05TA113
Reported as
Hughes 369FF
Reported engine
Allison 250C30
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
9,000 total70 in this make and model70 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 July 19, 2005 N530TJ was delivering supplied to the Drake fire. At approximately 1240 the first mission was successfully flown and the helicopter returned to the helibase. Operations were suspended due to winds. A second mission was initiated at 1450. The pilot was alone in the helicopter. The cargo (732 lbs) was attached to a long line of 100 feet, plus one leadline totalling an additional 12 feet. The ship reached the fire at about 1513. The ic and the squad boss directed the pilot's approach to the specific drop area. The squad boss lined up N530TJ with the drop zone using a mirror flash. The helicopter approached the drop area facing into the wind, moving from east to west. At about 100 yards from the drop area the pilot experienced a loss of control and the helicopter began to spin clockwise. The pilot was unable to regain control and crashed at 1516. Weather conditions @ 1500 MDT: 90 degrees fahrenheit, winds 3-7 mph out of the west (earlier in the day winds had been gusty in excess of 15 mph). The crash site was @ 7700 feet.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON JULY 19, 2005 N530TJ WAS DELIVERING SUPPLIED TO THE DRAKE FIRE. AT APPROXIMATELY 1240 THE FIRST MISSION WAS SUCCESSFULLY FLOWN AND THE HELICOPTER RETURNED TO THE HELIBASE. OPERATIONS WERE SUSPENDED DUE TO WINDS. A SECOND MISSION WAS INITIATED AT 1450. THE PILOT WAS ALONE IN THE HELICOPTER. THE CARGO (732 LBS) WAS ATTACHED TO A LONG LINE OF 100 FEET, PLUS ONE LEADLINE TOTALLING AN ADDITIONAL 12 FEET. THE SHIP REACHED THE FIRE AT ABOUT 1513. THE IC AND THE SQUAD BOSS DIRECTED THE PILOT'S APPROACH TO THE SPECIFIC DROP AREA. THE SQUAD BOSS LINED UP N530TJ WITH THE DROP ZONE USING A MIRROR FLASH. THE HELICOPTER APPROACHED THE DROP AREA FACING INTO THE WIND, MOVING FROM EAST TO WEST. AT ABOUT 100 YARDS FROM THE DROP AREA THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF CONTROL AND THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO SPIN CLOCKWISE. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL AND CRASHED AT 1516. WEATHER CONDITIONS @ 1500 MDT: 90 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, WINDS 3-7 MPH OUT OF THE WEST (EARLIER IN THE DAY WINDS HAD BEEN GUSTY IN EXCESS OF 15 MPH). THE CRASH SITE WAS @ 7700 FEET.

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 DEN05TA113Accident · Minor injuriesFinal reportLoveland, COThe pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control due to delayed remedial action during the encounter with the loss of tail rotor effectiveness. Contributing factors were the pilot's inadequate preflight performance planning, and the inadequate supervision by…Jul 19, 2005 · Destroyed