# Accident 20051225032809A: Hughes 369FF, Lihue, HI, December 25, 2005

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 25, 2005, 17:40 local time
- Place: Lihue, HI
- Airport: Lihue Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Hovering
- Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
- Operator: FNHL
- Location: 21.9833° N, 159.3750° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=21.9833&lon=-159.3750&mi=10
- Aircraft: N530MD (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES 369FF
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 365 total, 10 in this make and model, 10 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX06FA069](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX06FA069) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20051225032809A

## Narrative

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

(-23) WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LIFT A FILLED BAMBI BUCKET FROM A RESERVOIR THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED SMALL TREES AND THE WATER FOLLOWING AN IN-FLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL. THE HELICOPTER WAS SUBMERGED IN THE RESERVOIR WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE RIGHT SKID AND STRUTS. THE BUCKET AND LINE WERE NOT ATTACHED TO THE EXTERNAL HOOK. THE FUSELAGE REMAINED INTACT, BUT SUSTAINED IMPACT DEFORMATION TO ITS UNDERCARRIAGE, THE LEFT SIDE OF THE HELICOPTER, IN FRONT OF THE PILOT'S SEAT SUSTAINED THE MOST IMPACT DAMAGE IN THE UP AND AFT DIRECTION. THE TAIL BOOM SUSTAINED DEFORMATION DAMAGE TO ITS LEFT SIDE CONSISTENT WITH THE SHAPE OF THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE'S LEADING EDGE. THE HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL STABILIZER SECTION, WITH THE TAIL ROTOR GEARBOX AND TAIL ROTOR BLADES INTACT AND ATTACHED, SEPARATED FROM THE TAIL BOOM ABOUT 8 INCHES FORWARD OF THE VERTICAL STABILIZER'S LEADING EDGE. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT, ONCE REMOVED TO A HANGAR AT LIH AIRPORT, REVEALED CONTROL CONTINUITY. THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO BE UNDER POWER AT THE TIME OF IMPACT. IT APPEARS THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS FULLY OPERATIONAL (SEE SEC 42) AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AND THAT THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT WHILE ATTEMPTING A MANEUVER FOR WHICH HE WAS NOT QUALIFIED.

## 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 LAX06FA069](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX06FA069), Dec 26, 2005: McDonnell Douglas 369FF (N530MD), Lihue, HI, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while hovering out of ground effect during an external load operation. A contributing factor was the pilot's lack of experience in external load…

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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