# Accident 20160117013919A: Airbus EC-130, Hanalei, HI, January 17, 2016

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 17, 2016, 14:50 local time
- Place: Hanalei, HI
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: HCMA
- Location: 22.1731° N, 159.6581° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=22.1731&lon=-159.6581&mi=10
- Aircraft: N11VQ, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N11VQ-2016-12-02) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Airbus Helicopters EC 130 T2 (registry code 1145302, https://openairdocs.org/model/airbus-helicopters-ec-130-t2) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL-2D (registry code 60080, https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-arriel-2d) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIRBUS EC-130
- Reported engine: TURBOMECA ARRIEL
- People aboard: 7
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 7
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 4,550 total, 2,500 in this make and model, 123 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR16FA055](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR16FA055) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160117013919A

## Narrative

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

ON JANUARY 17, 2016, ABOUT 1450 HAWAII STANDARD TIME, AN AIRBUS EC130 T2, N11VQ, LANDED HARD ON A

BEACH 2 MILES WEST OF HANALEI ON THE HAWAIIAN ISLAND OF KAUAI AFTER A REPORTED LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.

THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND 2 PASSENGERS SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, AND 4 PASSENGERS WERE SERIOUSLY

INJURED. THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE TAILBOOM AND AIRFRAME. THE HELICOPTER WAS

REGISTERED TO NEVADA HELICOPTER LEASING LLC, OPERATED BY BLUE HAWAIIAN HELICOPTERS UNDER THE

PROVISIONS OF 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS, PART 135, AND WAS CONDUCTING AN AIR TOUR FLIGHT AT THE

TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE FLIGHT, AND A COMPANY VISUAL

FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE LOCAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED IN LIHUE AT 1406.

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS ABOUT 1/4 MILE OFF SHORE NORTHWEST OF HONOPU SEA ARCH AT 1,300 FEET

MEAN SEA LEVEL (MSL) WHEN HE HEARD THE LOW ROTOR RPM AURAL WARNING HORN. HE IMMEDIATELY ENTERED AN AUTOROTATION AND TURNED TOWARDS THE BEACH. HE TRANSMITTED OVER THE RADIO THAT HE HAD AN ENGINE FAILURE. AS HE APPROACHED THE SHORELINE HE MADE A RIGHT TURN TO THE SOUTH AND LANDED HARD ON THE

BEACH. HE APPLIED THE ROTOR BRAKE TO SLOW THE ROTOR, AND AT THAT TIME HE NOTED THAT THE ENGINE WAS NOT

RUNNING. THE PASSENGERS BEGAN TO EXIT AND HE PULLED THE ENGINE FUEL CUTOFF.

## 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 WPR16FA055](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR16FA055), Jan 18, 2016: Airbus EC130 (N11VQ), Hanalei, HI, substantial damage. Probable cause: The fatigue failure of the engine fuel pipe as a result of vibration caused by a worn starter-generator front bearing support, which excited the fuel pipe and caused it to oscillate at a resonant…

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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