# Accident 20130822015309A: Mcdonnell Douglas Heli Co 369FF, Reese, MI, August 22, 2013

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 22, 2013, 18:00 local time
- Place: Reese, MI
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
- Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
- Operator: CUCL
- Location: 43.4711° N, 83.6614° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.4711&lon=-83.6614&mi=10
- Aircraft: N975BW (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: MCDONNELL DOUGLAS HELI CO 369FF
- Reported engine: ROLLS-ROYC 250 20&30 SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN13CA501](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13CA501) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130822015309A

## Narrative

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

OPERATION WAS FOR THE REPAIR OF A FIBER SHOE THAT SUPPORTS A FIBER OPTIC LINE THAT WAS ATTACHED TO A TOWER ABOUT 200' ABOVE THE GROUND. THE LINEMAN ON BOARD THE HELICOPTER WAS HOISTING THE LINE OFF THE SHOE USING A HOIST ESPECIALLY DESIGNED FOR THIS TYPE OF OPERATION. IT IS ONLY ATTACHED TO THE TOWER STRUCTURE AND LINE. A NYLON STRAP THAT IS PART OF THE HOIST FAILED, WHICH CAUSED THE LINE TO DROP AND HIT THE SKID OF THE HELICOPTER WHICH CAUSED THE HELICOPTER TO IMMEDIATELY DROP AND THE ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED THE TOWER STRUCTURE. THE PILOT THEN PULLED AWAY FROM THE TOWER AND LANDED THE HELICOPTER NEXT TO THE TOWER. THERE WAS NO LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER AFTER THE INITIAL FAILURE OF THE HOIST DEVICE AND LINE HITTING THE SKID.

## 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 CEN13CA501](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13CA501), Aug 22, 2013: Mcdonnell Douglas Heli 369FF (N975BW), Reese, MI, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the temporary hoist holding the powerline wire which resulted in a brief loss of control and main rotor blade impacts with the tower.

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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