# Incident 20131019025479I: Hughes 369D, Claudville, VA, October 19, 2013

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 19, 2013, 11:45 local time
- Place: Claudville, VA
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Other, Specify
- Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
- Operator: SJKL
- Location: 36.5896° N, 80.4184° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Claudville, VA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.5896&lon=-80.4184&mi=10
- Aircraft: N53846, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N53846) (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: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 24,100 total, 18,500 in this make and model, 175 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20131019025479I

## Narrative

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

ON OCTOBER 19, 2013 AT 11:45 AM LOCAL TIME, A 1982 HUGHES 369D, N53846, WAS TRIMMING TREES FOR THE POWER LINE RIGHT OF WAY WITH AN AERIAL SAW. DURING THE OPERATION THE ROTORCRAFT ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED A PINE TREE BRANCH. THE PILOT FLEW THE AIRCRAFT TO THE HELIPORT FOR INSPECTION. THE INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE UNDERSIDE OF ALL 5 ROTOR BLADES SHOWED SOME FORM OF CONTACT WITH THE TREE BRANCH. ON FURTHER INSPECTION IT WAS DETERMINED THAT 2 OF THE BLADES WERE NON-SERVICEABLE AND THE OTHER 3 BLADES WERE SERVICEABLE. A INSPECTION OF THE TRANSMISSION AND DRIVE LINE WAS PERFORMED IAW THE SERVICE MANUAL. THE HELICOPTER WAS FITTED WITH 5 SERVICEABLE BLADES AND WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE. THERE WAS NO INJURY TO THE CREWMEMBER AND NO FURTHER DAMAGE TO THE HELICOPTER.

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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