# Accident 20161004017849A: Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 369E, Waimea, HI, October 4, 2016

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 4, 2016, 09:10 local time
- Place: Waimea, HI
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: DDWA
- Location: 20.1122° N, 155.6858° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=20.1122&lon=-155.6858&mi=10
- Aircraft: N311VT, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N311VT) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 369E (registry code 3027369, https://openairdocs.org/model/mcdonnell-douglas-helicopter-369e) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Allison 250-C20R/2 (registry code 03092, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c20r-2) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MCDONNELL DOUGLAS HELICOPTER 369E
- Reported engine: ALLISON 250-C20 SER
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 28,500 total, 27,500 in this make and model, 290 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR17LA005](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR17LA005) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20161004017849A

## Narrative

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

MANUIWA AIRWAYS, INC., DBA VOLCANO HELICOPTERS  WAS CONDUCTING FLIGHT OPERATIONS UNDER 14 CFR PART 135 FOR THE KOHALA WATERSHED PARTNERSHIP, N311VT HAD JUST COMPLETED  DELIVERY OF  FENCE MATERIAL TO THE REMOTE JOB SITE ON KOHALA MOUNTAIN (AT N20 06.731 AND W155 41.158). THE HELICOPTER LANDED ON SITE AND TWO PASSENGERS BOARDED FOR A RETURN FLIGHT TO THE STAGING AREA AT THE WAIMEA RESERVOIR AREA.

FOLLOWING TAKEOFF AND ABOUT 30 SECONDS INTO FORWARD FLIGHT AND ABOUT 75-100 FEET ABOVE GROUND THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A MODERATE ABERRATION IN THE CYCLIC FLIGHT CONTROL, IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY A SIGNIFICANT VERTICAL VIBRATION WHEREIN THE PILOT OBSERVED THAT THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE TRACK HAD SUBSTANTIAL BLADE SPREAD.  FORWARD FLIGHT WAS CONTINUED FOR ANOTHER 5-10 SECONDS AT WHICH TIME IT WAS DETERMINED BY THE PILOT THAT FORWARD FLIGHT WAS UNSAFE UNDER THE CURRENT CONDITIONS.  THERE WAS CONCERN THAT EVENTUAL LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT WOULD RESULT IF FLIGHT WAS EXTENDED ANY FURTHER.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS SET DOWN AT THE FIRST REASONABLE LANDING SPOT IN A DENSE RAIN FOREST CANOPY.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS SHUT DOWN IMMEDIATELY AND ALL PASSENGERS EXITED ON THEIR OWN FOLLOWING COMPLETE STOPPAGE OF ALL ROTATING COMPONENTS.  NO INJURIES OCCURRED.

AN IMMEDIATE CALL WAS MADE TO THE FIRE RESCUE CREW FROM THE HAWAII COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND EXTRICATION OF ALL PARTIES WERE COMPLETED WITHIN THE HOUR.

UPON INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT BY THE PILOT, IT IS NOTED THAT ONE MAIN ROTOR BLADE SUFFERED SOME SORT OF STRIKE.  AN APPROXIMATE 8-10 IN. LONG PORTION OF THE TIP IS MISSING AND THE BLADE IS BENT AFT IN CERTAIN PLACES.  BECAUSE THE AIRCRAFT WAS SET DOWN IN UNIMPROVED TERRAIN, THE TAILBOOM AND TAIL ROTOR SYSTEM SETTLED INTO SOME SMALL TREES.  THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES SUFFERED DAMAGE MOSTLY LIKELY POST LANDING BECAUSE THE PILOT HAD COMPLETE TAIL ROTOR AUTHORITY THOUGH LANDING AND NO VIBRATION WAS FELT.  THERE IS ALSO SOME DAMAGE TO THE VERTICAL STABILIZER AND THE WINGLET ON THE END OF THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER WHICH MOST LIKELY OCCURRED POST LANDING WHEN THE TAIL ROTOR SYSTEM STRUCK THE TREES.

## 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 WPR17LA005](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR17LA005), Oct 4, 2016: Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 369E (N311VT), Waimea, HI, substantial damage. Probable cause: Impact of the lift cable after it exited the helicopter during liftoff with the main rotor (MR) blades, which resulted in the separation of an MR blade tip and the vertical vibration of the…

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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