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20161115021839A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Hughes 369D · Puko'O, HI · November 15, 2016

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
November 15, 2016 · 18:30 local
Place
Puko'O, HI
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N81GG
NTSB investigation
NTSBWPR17FA021
Reported as
Hughes 369D
Reported engine
Allison 250 SER 250HP
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
2
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Airline transport
Pilot’s flight hours
4,210 total
N81GGRegistration cancelled Aug 29, 2017 · Hughes Helicopters HUGHES 369DS/N 100634D · Built 1979Airframe modelHughes Helicopters HUGHES 369DEngine modelAllison 250 SER 250HPTurbo-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.

The honolulu flight standards district office (FSDO) conducted an investigation of the fatal aircraft accident that occurred on November 15, 2016. The aircraft departed from honolulu international airport at approximately 17:45 local time and flew to molokai with a final destination of a private residence located on the eastern side of the island of molokai at position: N2105'21.6 W15647'21.0".

1756L: Hughes aircraft N81GG, a 369D helicopter, serial #100634D operated and owned by gary galiher, departed hnl en route his private helipad (position N210521.6 W1564721.0) at his residence on the east coast of molokai at position: N210503.4 W1564708.2. The aircraft requested, and was assigned the shoreline 6 VFR departure procedure with a squawk code of 0231. N81GG was identified on radar shortly after takeoff.

1801: N81GG cleared class b airspace adjacent diamond head and proceeded east bound at 1500 feet AGL on a transponder squawk of 1200. N81GG did not request flight following.

1818: ATC radar tracked N81GG to the southeast point of molokai at an altitude of 1100 feet proceeding eastbound along the south shore just off shore. ATC voice data showed that N81GG attempted to contact molokai tower. The radio communication was broken and unreadable to tower control.

1819: N81GG made a second attempt to contact mkk tower with no results.

1822: N81GG dropped off ATC radar coverage at 800 feet MSL.

1823: N81GG contacts mkk tower with a reported position south of the airport at 700 feet and requested low level transition east bound. Mkk tower approved eastbound transition. This was the last recorded voice data from N81GG.

11/16/16, 1115: Aircraft wreckage fitting the description of N81GG, had been located by a maui county fire dept helicopter less than a mile northeast of accident aircrafts helipad.

1500: The roc confirmed the accident. Maui county fire department delivered a fire fighter to the scene by helicopter. Both soles on board the aircraft were confirmed deceased.

As the FAA filed it

THE HONOLULU FLIGHT STANDARDS DISTRICT OFFICE (FSDO) CONDUCTED AN INVESTIGATION OF THE FATAL AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT THAT OCCURRED ON NOVEMBER 15, 2016. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED FROM HONOLULU INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AT APPROXIMATELY 17:45 LOCAL TIME AND FLEW TO MOLOKAI WITH A FINAL DESTINATION OF A PRIVATE RESIDENCE LOCATED ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF THE ISLAND OF MOLOKAI AT POSITION: N2105'21.6 W15647'21.0".

1756L: HUGHES AIRCRAFT N81GG, A 369D HELICOPTER, SERIAL #100634D OPERATED AND OWNED BY GARY GALIHER, DEPARTED HNL EN ROUTE HIS PRIVATE HELIPAD (POSITION N210521.6 W1564721.0) AT HIS RESIDENCE ON THE EAST COAST OF MOLOKAI AT POSITION: N210503.4 W1564708.2. THE AIRCRAFT REQUESTED, AND WAS ASSIGNED THE SHORELINE 6 VFR DEPARTURE PROCEDURE WITH A SQUAWK CODE OF 0231. N81GG WAS IDENTIFIED ON RADAR SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF.

1801: N81GG CLEARED CLASS B AIRSPACE ADJACENT DIAMOND HEAD AND PROCEEDED EAST BOUND AT 1500 FEET AGL ON A TRANSPONDER SQUAWK OF 1200. N81GG DID NOT REQUEST FLIGHT FOLLOWING.

1818: ATC RADAR TRACKED N81GG TO THE SOUTHEAST POINT OF MOLOKAI AT AN ALTITUDE OF 1100 FEET PROCEEDING EASTBOUND ALONG THE SOUTH SHORE JUST OFF SHORE. ATC VOICE DATA SHOWED THAT N81GG ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT MOLOKAI TOWER. THE RADIO COMMUNICATION WAS BROKEN AND UNREADABLE TO TOWER CONTROL.

1819: N81GG MADE A SECOND ATTEMPT TO CONTACT MKK TOWER WITH NO RESULTS.

1822: N81GG DROPPED OFF ATC RADAR COVERAGE AT 800 FEET MSL.

1823: N81GG CONTACTS MKK TOWER WITH A REPORTED POSITION SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT AT 700 FEET AND REQUESTED LOW LEVEL TRANSITION EAST BOUND. MKK TOWER APPROVED EASTBOUND TRANSITION. THIS WAS THE LAST RECORDED VOICE DATA FROM N81GG.

11/16/16, 1115: AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE FITTING THE DESCRIPTION OF N81GG, HAD BEEN LOCATED BY A MAUI COUNTY FIRE DEPT HELICOPTER LESS THAN A MILE NORTHEAST OF ACCIDENT AIRCRAFTS HELIPAD.

1500: THE ROC CONFIRMED THE ACCIDENT. MAUI COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT DELIVERED A FIRE FIGHTER TO THE SCENE BY HELICOPTER. BOTH SOLES ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT WERE CONFIRMED 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 WPR17FA021Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportPukoo, HIThe pilot's decision to continue visual flight into an area of instrument meteorological conditions at night in rain, which resulted in his geographic disorientation and controlled flight into terrain.Nov 16, 2016 · Destroyed