20121127026039A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Hughes 369D · Sheridan, OR · November 27, 2012

Date: November 27, 2012 · 15:30 local
Place: Sheridan, OR
Phase of flight: Maneuver
Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
Operator: AWTL
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N163PJ
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR13CA057
Reported as: Hughes 369D
Reported engine: Allison 250-C20 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,130 total424 in this make and model262 in the last 90 days

N163PJRegistration cancelled Feb 8, 2018 · Hughes Helicopters HUGHES 369DS/N 1068D · Built 1982 Airframe modelHughes Helicopters HUGHES 369D Engine 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.

On November 27, 2012, this helicopter was being operated under part 133 slinging christmas trees, loading trucks for transport. The helicopter was using a 18 foot tag line attached to the aircraft's hook. At approximately 1530 PST the helicopter settled under power immediately following the release of a load into the truck and was unable to fly out of this condition before the main rotor blades struck the box of the truck causing the aircraft to impact the ground just to the right (west) of the truck cab. The helicopter rolled onto its left side and spun approximately 30 feet in front of the truck where it came to rest. The nose and tail boom of the helicopter were cut off by the main rotor blades before and or during the time all 5 main rotor blades were cleanly sheared from the main rotor hub. The pilot was injured, but was able to shut the engine down by closing the fuel shut off valve after the aircraft came to rest.

As the FAA filed it

ON NOVEMBER 27, 2012, THIS HELICOPTER WAS BEING OPERATED UNDER PART 133 SLINGING CHRISTMAS TREES, LOADING TRUCKS FOR TRANSPORT. THE HELICOPTER WAS USING A 18 FOOT TAG LINE ATTACHED TO THE AIRCRAFT'S HOOK. AT APPROXIMATELY 1530 PST THE HELICOPTER SETTLED UNDER POWER IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE RELEASE OF A LOAD INTO THE TRUCK AND WAS UNABLE TO FLY OUT OF THIS CONDITION BEFORE THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE BOX OF THE TRUCK CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO IMPACT THE GROUND JUST TO THE RIGHT (WEST) OF THE TRUCK CAB. THE HELICOPTER ROLLED ONTO ITS LEFT SIDE AND SPUN APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET IN FRONT OF THE TRUCK WHERE IT CAME TO REST. THE NOSE AND TAIL BOOM OF THE HELICOPTER WERE CUT OFF BY THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES BEFORE AND OR DURING THE TIME ALL 5 MAIN ROTOR BLADES WERE CLEANLY SHEARED FROM THE MAIN ROTOR HUB. THE PILOT WAS INJURED, BUT WAS ABLE TO SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN BY CLOSING THE FUEL SHUT OFF VALVE AFTER THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST.

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 WPR13CA057Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportSheridan, ORThe pilot’s failure to prevent the helicopter from entering a vortex ring state (settling with power) condition during an external load operation, which resulted in the helicopter’s main rotor blades impacting the truck.Nov 27, 2012 · Substantial damage