# Accident 20121013023652A: Hughes/Helicopter Assocs Inc 369A, West Chester, PA, October 13, 2012

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 13, 2012, 09:30 local time
- Place: West Chester, PA
- Airport: West Chester/Brandywine
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Collision: Midair collision
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.9903° N, 75.5819° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.9903&lon=-75.5819&mi=10
- Aircraft: N546, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N546) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Hughes/Helicopter Assocs 369A (registry code 4470703, https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-helicopter-assocs-369a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Allison 250-C10D (registry code 03035, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c10d) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES/HELICOPTER ASSOCS INC 369A
- Reported engine: ALLISON 250-C10D
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 586 total, 253 in this make and model, 32 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA13LA022](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13LA022) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20121013023652A

## Narrative

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

ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2012, AT APPROXIMATELY 0920 LOCAL TIME, A FIVE-SHIP FORMATION OF HELICOPTERS FROM LANCASTER AIRPORT, PA (LNR) ARRIVED TO CONDUCT SIGHTSEEING RIDES AT A ROTORFEST EVENT AT BRANDYWINE AIRPORT (KOQN), PA, AN UNCONTROLLED AIRFIELD WITH UNICOM. TWO FAA INSPECTORS WERE AT THE LANDING AIRPORT (KOQN) CONDUCTING OTHER SURVEILLANCE AND RESPONDED TO THE EVENT.AS THE IN-LINE FORMATION BEGAN A BASE LEG  FROM DOWNWIND TO RWY 9, A HIGH WING AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED ON FINAL TO RWY 9. THE FORMATION'S FLIGHT BOSS, WHO WAS IN SHIP NO. 5 IN THE TRAIL POSITION, COMMANDED THE FORMATION TO "BREAK LEFT OR LAND" TO ACCOMMODATE THE INTRUDING AIRCRAFT.  AS THE 5 AIRCRAFT MANEUVERED, SHIP NO. 3 DESCENDED INTO THE ROTOR OF SHIP NO. 4 (THIS REPORT'S ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT),  SHEARING THE ENTIRE RIGHT SKID OF SHIP NO. 3.  SHIP NO. 4 LANDED WHILE SHIP NO. 3 HOVERED TO DECIDE HOW TO RESPOND TO THE MISSING SKID.  THE PILOT OF SHIP NO. 3 DETERMINED THE SAFEST ACTION WOULD BE TO RETURN TO LANCASTER (LNR) WHERE A POTENTIAL LOSS OF CONTROL COULD BE RESPONDED TO BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND A LANDING COULD BE SUPPORTED BY AVAILABLE GROUND CREW. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED AT LNR WITHOUT INCIDENT. SHIP 4 ALSO LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT AT OQN.OTHER AIRCRAFT INVOLVED SHIP NO. 3 REGISTRATION NUMBER IS N369SN-SEE RELATED REPORT AEA1713005

## Other aircraft in the event

- N369SN, Hughes OH-6A: [Accident 20121013023732A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20121013023732A)

## 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 ERA13LA022](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13LA022), Oct 13, 2012: Hughes/Helicopter Assocs 369A (N546), West Chester, PA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to see and avoid the preceding helicopter while maneuvering for landing. Contributing to the accident were the flight lead pilot’s inadequate preflight briefing and in-flight…

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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