# Accident 20121127026039A: Hughes 369D, Sheridan, OR, November 27, 2012

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 27, 2012, 15:30 local time
- Place: Sheridan, OR
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Maneuver
- Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
- Operator: AWTL
- Location: 45.1053° N, 123.3878° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.1053&lon=-123.3878&mi=10
- Aircraft: N163PJ, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N163PJ-2018-02-08) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Hughes Helicopters HUGHES 369D (registry code 4470706, https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-helicopters-hughes-369d) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Allison 250-C20 series (registry code 03020, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c20-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES 369D
- Reported engine: ALLISON 250-C20 SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 3,130 total, 424 in this make and model, 262 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR13CA057](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13CA057) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20121127026039A

## Narrative

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

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.

## 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 WPR13CA057](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13CA057), Nov 27, 2012: Hughes 369D (N163PJ), Sheridan, OR, substantial damage. Probable cause: The 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…

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.