20170901011329A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Hughes Helicopters 369FF · Lawrenceville, GA · September 1, 2017

Date: September 1, 2017 · 10:30 local
Place: Lawrenceville, GA
Airport: Gwinnett County - Briscoe Fiel
Phase of flight: Taxi
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N5189K
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA17LA305
Reported as: Hughes Helicopters 369FF
Reported engine: Allison 250-C20 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 2
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, private pilot

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.

Aircraft was returning from mission and taxiing to heli pad. Strong gusting winds around the building prevented aircraft from landing on heli pad. Aircraft taxied out for another approach to the heili pad. The aircraft taxied out towards runway 25 and proceeded to make a right turn, with the wind. The aircraft quickly went to an erratic flight profile, and into an uncontrollable spin.

The aircraft landed on the left side skid, and left side. Main rotor separated and slung main rotor blades 220 feet, 20 feet and 20 feet respectively.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT WAS RETURNING FROM MISSION AND TAXIING TO HELI PAD. STRONG GUSTING WINDS AROUND THE BUILDING PREVENTED AIRCRAFT FROM LANDING ON HELI PAD. AIRCRAFT TAXIED OUT FOR ANOTHER APPROACH TO THE HEILI PAD. THE AIRCRAFT TAXIED OUT TOWARDS RUNWAY 25 AND PROCEEDED TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN, WITH THE WIND. THE AIRCRAFT QUICKLY WENT TO AN ERRATIC FLIGHT PROFILE, AND INTO AN UNCONTROLLABLE SPIN.

THE AIRCRAFT LANDED ON THE LEFT SIDE SKID, AND LEFT SIDE. MAIN ROTOR SEPARATED AND SLUNG MAIN ROTOR BLADES 220 FEET, 20 FEET AND 20 FEET RESPECTIVELY.

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 ERA17LA305Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportLawrenceville, GAThe pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions during the approach to landing, which resulted in a loss of helicopter control due to a loss of tail rotor effectiveness.Sep 1, 2017 · Substantial damage