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20051019026879A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Hughes 369D · Avalon, CA · October 19, 2005

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
October 19, 2005 · 14:29 local
Place
Avalon, CA
Phase of flight
Low Level Operations
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N268ST
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX06LA015
Reported as
Hughes 369D
Reported engine
Allison 250C20
Fatal injuries
0
N268STRegistration cancelled Mar 21, 2018 · Hughes Helicopters HUGHES 369DS/N 470122D · Built 1977Airframe modelHughes Helicopters HUGHES 369DEngine 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) On 10/19/2005 at approximately 1429 hrs PDT, a Hughes 369D, N268ST, collided with power lines during cruise flight and came to rest on the beach at big geiger cove, santa catalina island. The flight of two helicopters departed palomar airport, carslbad, California enroute to santa catalina island for a vft tour around the island. The second helicopter, a bell 206B, N22823 and the accident aircraft N268ST departed palomar and flew north up the coast of California to just north of the long beach airport and then crossed over the ocean to santa catalina island for a VFR tour of the island. The flight track arrived at santa catalina island around the twin harbors. The flight then continued north along the coast. The Hughes helicopter then turned inland and at approximately 400 AGL the helicopter collided with power lines. The helicopter moved back and forth several times according to witnesses and then fell to the cliff below and ultimately came to rest on the beach at big geiger cove. VFR conditions prevailed, no flight plan was filed. Regarding block 31 this office has been unable to obtain pilot flight history.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON 10/19/2005 AT APPROXIMATELY 1429 HRS PDT, A HUGHES 369D, N268ST, COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES DURING CRUISE FLIGHT AND CAME TO REST ON THE BEACH AT BIG GEIGER COVE, SANTA CATALINA ISLAND. THE FLIGHT OF TWO HELICOPTERS DEPARTED PALOMAR AIRPORT, CARSLBAD, CALIFORNIA ENROUTE TO SANTA CATALINA ISLAND FOR A VFT TOUR AROUND THE ISLAND. THE SECOND HELICOPTER, A BELL 206B, N22823 AND THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT N268ST DEPARTED PALOMAR AND FLEW NORTH UP THE COAST OF CALIFORNIA TO JUST NORTH OF THE LONG BEACH AIRPORT AND THEN CROSSED OVER THE OCEAN TO SANTA CATALINA ISLAND FOR A VFR TOUR OF THE ISLAND. THE FLIGHT TRACK ARRIVED AT SANTA CATALINA ISLAND AROUND THE TWIN HARBORS. THE FLIGHT THEN CONTINUED NORTH ALONG THE COAST. THE HUGHES HELICOPTER THEN TURNED INLAND AND AT APPROXIMATELY 400 AGL THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES. THE HELICOPTER MOVED BACK AND FORTH SEVERAL TIMES ACCORDING TO WITNESSES AND THEN FELL TO THE CLIFF BELOW AND ULTIMATELY CAME TO REST ON THE BEACH AT BIG GEIGER COVE. VFR CONDITIONS PREVAILED, NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. REGARDING BLOCK 31 THIS OFFICE HAS BEEN UNABLE TO OBTAIN PILOT FLIGHT HISTORY.

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 LAX06LA015Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportAvalon, CAthe pilot's failure to maintain an adequate visual lookout and obstacle clearance altitude, which resulted in a collision with power lines. Factors in the accident were the position of the sun relative to the helicopter's flight path, which lessoned the…Oct 19, 2005 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N268ST · 1

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

Accident 20010923026969ASfl Autorotation · Carlsbad, CA(.19) On September 23, 2001, about 1315 hours pacific daylight time, a Hughes 369D, N268ST, operated by civic helicopters, inc., Carlsbad, California, made a hard landing at the Palomar airport, Carlsbad. The helicopter was substantially damaged. Neither the…Sep 23, 2001 · Substantial damage