# Incident 20170125000799I: Agusta Spa A109A, Makaweli, HI, January 25, 2017

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 25, 2017, 22:30 local time
- Place: Makaweli, HI
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: NUIA
- Location: 22.0428° N, 159.5800° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Makaweli, HI, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=22.0428&lon=-159.5800&mi=10
- Aircraft: N716AM, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N716AM) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Agusta A109A (registry code 0260112, https://openairdocs.org/model/agusta-a109a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Allison 250 SER 250HP (registry code 03002, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-ser-250hp) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AGUSTA SPA A109A
- Reported engine: ALLISON 250 SER 250HP
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 9,548 total, 798 in this make and model, 48 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170125000799I

## Narrative

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

THE PILOT HAD DROPPED OFF PASSENGERS AT PHBK AND WAITED FOR WORD THAT THE HELIPAD LIGHTS AT THIER HANGAR WERE DEPLOYED AND LIT. THE PILOT THEN DEPARTED PHBK AND FLEW EAST ALONG THE SHORLINE AT ABOUT 500 FEET AGL. ONCE PAST PAKALA VILLAGE HE TURNED INLAND AND STARTED HIS APPROACH TO THE HANGAR.

DURING THE APPROACH AT ABOUT 200 FEET AGL THE PILOT EXPERINCED SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO DESCEND AND DRIFT TO THE RIGHT. THE PILOT STATED HE LOST SIGHT OF THE LANDING PAD AND PULLED POWER. HE SCANNED HIS INSTRUMENTS AND STATED HE WAS IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE WHEN THE RADAR ALTIMITER ZEROED AND THE TAIL OF THE AIRCRAFT MADE CONTACT WITH THE GROUND ABOUT 1500 FEET SHORT OF THE HANGAR.  THE TAIL SKID SANK INTO A SOFT PILE OF GRAVEL ALLOWING THE TAIL ROTOR TO STRIKE THE GRAVEL.  AFTER CONTACT, THE AIRCRFT STARTED A CLIMB AND THE PILOT COULD AGAIN SEE THE LIGHTS TO THE LANDING PAD.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS STILL CONTROLABLE WITH A VIBRATION IN THE PEDALS.  THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO MAKE A SUCCESSFULL APPROACH AND LANDING TO THE LIT PAD.

A POSTFLGHT INSPECTION REVEALED DAMAGE TO THE ENDS OF BOTH TAILROTOR BLADES.

THE HANGAR IS LOCATED IN A REMOTE FIELD AND IS LIT BY PORTABLE LIGHTS WHEN NEEDED. THIS NIGHT WAS VERY DARK WITH NO MOON ILLUMINATION.  THE SURROUNDING FIELDS HAVE NO LIGHTS AND DID NOT PROVIDE VISUAL REFERENCE.

## Other reports on N716AM (1)

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

- [Incident 20120717014499I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120717014499I), Jul 17, 2012: Agusta Spa A109A (N716AM), Nonopapa Niihau, HI, Minor damage. On July 17, 2012 at approximately 1245 Hawaii standard time, N716AM, an Agusta A109A helicopter operated by Niihau helicopters, inc. a 14 CFR § 135 on demand…

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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