20150406006079A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Hughes 369D · Cherokee, AL · April 6, 2015

Date: April 6, 2015 · 13:07 local
Place: Cherokee, AL
Phase of flight: Unknown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator: HXFL
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N555JC
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA15FA178
Reported as: Hughes 369D
Reported engine: Allison 250 SER 400HP
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 6,884 total2,079 in this make and model110 in the last 90 days

N555JCRegistration cancelled Feb 16, 2017 · Hughes Helicopters HUGHES 369DS/N 180256D · Built 1977 Airframe modelHughes Helicopters HUGHES 369D Engine modelAllison 250 SER 400HPTurbo-shaft

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 4/6/2015 helicopter N555JC impacted the Tennessee river near the natchez chase bridge in Cherokee, AL. The PIC was attempting to navigate from corinth, ms to scottsboro, AL in conditions that included periods of rain and fog, when the aircraft impacted the river and was significantly damaged. The PIC was later found deceased.

As the FAA filed it

ON 4/6/2015 HELICOPTER N555JC IMPACTED THE TENNESSEE RIVER NEAR THE NATCHEZ CHASE BRIDGE IN CHEROKEE, AL. THE PIC WAS ATTEMPTING TO NAVIGATE FROM CORINTH, MS TO SCOTTSBORO, AL IN CONDITIONS THAT INCLUDED PERIODS OF RAIN AND FOG, WHEN THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE RIVER AND WAS SIGNIFICANTLY DAMAGED. THE PIC WAS LATER FOUND DECEASED.

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 ERA15FA178Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportCherokee, ALThe pilot's spatial disorientation during a low-level river crossing in rainy, gray, reduced visibility meteorological conditions, which resulted in the helicopter's subsequent descent and impact with the water. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's…Apr 6, 2015 · Substantial damage