# Accident 20140729012839A: Hughes 369D, West Liberty, OH, July 29, 2014

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 29, 2014, 16:45 local time
- Place: West Liberty, OH
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
- Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
- Operator: 1TRG
- Location: 40.3019° N, 83.7689° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.3019&lon=-83.7689&mi=10
- Aircraft: N89ZC, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N89ZC-2021-09-04) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Hughes Helicopters HUGHES 369D (registry code 4470706, https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-helicopters-hughes-369d) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rolls-Royce 250-C20B (registry code 54385, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-250-c20b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES 369D
- Reported engine: ROLLS-ROYC 250-C20B
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 11,000 total, 2,800 in this make and model, 385 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN14LA398](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA398) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140729012839A

## Narrative

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

DESCRIPTION OF EVENT AND COMMENTS WITH RECOMMENDATION(S)

(1)  DESCRIPTION OF EVENT.

JULY 29, 2014;  PILOT WAS CONDUCTING VEGETATION CUTTING ACTIVITIES USING A LARGE POWER SAW SUSPENDED BELOW A HU-369-D HELICOPTER.

AT OR ABOUT 16:45 HOURS LOCAL TIME;  THE HELICOPTER ENGINE FAILED DUE TO FUEL STARVATION AND THE HELICOPTER CRASHED.

(2)  CAUSAL AND/OR CONTRIBUTING FACTORS, IF ANY.

PILOT STATES THE HELICOPTER FUEL GAGE SHOWED ALMOST ½ TANK OF FUEL.

GROUND CREW HAD NOTIFIED THE PILOT VIA RADIO THAT HE WAS CLOSE TO REFUEL REQUIRED TIME.

(3)  RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SYSTEMIC CORRECTIVE ACTION TO REDUCE RISK OF FUTURE OCCURRENCE.

THIS WAS A PILOT ERROR, NOT A SYSTEMIC ERROR.

(4)  COMMENTS.

NONE.

## 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 CEN14LA398](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA398), Jul 29, 2014: Hughes 369D (N89ZC), West Liberty, OH, substantial damage. Probable cause: A total loss of engine power, which resulted from fuel exhaustion due to the pilot’s failure to adequately monitor the fuel quantity during the flight.

## Other reports on N89ZC (2)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20190305000909A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190305000909A), Mar 5, 2019: Hughes 369D (N89ZC), Talking Rock, GA, Destroyed, 1 fatal. Aircraft was in work profile, carrying an approximately 30 foot long remote powered saw blade. Traveling in an eastern direction, details reviled saw blade…
- [Accident 20180822012109A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180822012109A), Aug 22, 2018: Hughes 369D (N89ZC), Ridgway, PA, Minor damage. Pilot and general manager were surveying power lines for storm damage for first energy power company. While operating at approximately 80 feet AGL between two…

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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