# Accident 20170902015879A: Agusta AW-139, Tujunga, CA, September 2, 2017

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 2, 2017, 10:00 local time
- Place: Tujunga, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Other, Specify
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.2464° N, 118.3003° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.2464&lon=-118.3003&mi=10
- Aircraft: N304FD, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N304FD) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Agustawestland Philadelphia AW139 (registry code 0260400, https://openairdocs.org/model/agustawestland-philadelphia-aw139) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6C-67C (registry code 52174, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pt6c-67c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AGUSTA AW-139
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 6,000 total, 800 in this make and model, 70 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC17LA051](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC17LA051) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170902015879A

## Narrative

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

WHILE FIRE FIGHTING (DROPPING WATER), N304FD(LA CITY FIRE) DESCENDED INTO TREES CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE UNDERSIDE AND REAR OF HELICOPTER. THE HELICOPTER MANAGED TO LAND AT A NEAR BY HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL FIELD.  NO INJURIES.

## 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 ANC17LA051](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC17LA051), Sep 2, 2017: Leonardo AW139 (N304FD), Tujunga, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: A yaw excursion and uncontrolled descent due to loss of tail rotor effectiveness during aerial firefighting operations resulting in an impact with trees. A contributing factor was the pilot’s failure…

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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