# Accident 20050719018239A: Hughes 369FF, Drake, CO, July 19, 2005

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 19, 2005, 15:15 local time
- Place: Drake, CO
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Hovering
- Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
- Operator: UA7L
- Location: 40.4144° N, 105.3519° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.4144&lon=-105.3519&mi=10
- Aircraft: N530TJ (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES 369FF
- Reported engine: ALLSN 250C30
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 9,000 total, 70 in this make and model, 70 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN05TA113](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN05TA113) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050719018239A

## Narrative

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

(-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.

## 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 DEN05TA113](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN05TA113), Jul 19, 2005: Hughes 369FF (N530TJ), Loveland, CO, destroyed. Probable cause: The 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…

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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