# Accident 20180201001939A: Hughes Helicopters Inc HU-369-E, Wrightwood, CA, February 1, 2018

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 1, 2018, 09:55 local time
- Place: Wrightwood, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: WO5A
- Location: 34.2089° N, 117.4036° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.2089&lon=-117.4036&mi=10
- Aircraft: N618SG, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N618SG-2020-11-06) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Hughes Helicopters 369E (registry code 4470707, https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-helicopters-369e) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Allison 250-C20 series (registry code 03020, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c20-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES HELICOPTERS INC HU-369-E
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 3
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 18,918 total, 8,581 in this make and model, 52 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA18CA117](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA117) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180201001939A

## Narrative

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

N618SG, A HU369E ON A PART 135 REVENUE FLIGHT, LOST CONTROL DURING ITS LANDING APPROACH JUST PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN AT A 8300 FT MSL MOUNTAIN LANDING ZONE (LZ) NEAR WRIGHTWOOD SKI RESORT.  N618SG ROLLED OVER AFTER CONTACTING THE GROUND SUSTAINING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.  THREE PERSONS ON BOARD; MINOR INJURIES.

PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT, THE PIC PERFORMED WEIGHT AND BALANCE CALCULATIONS AS WELL AS AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE CALCULATIONS.  N618SG WAS DETERMINED TO BE UNDER ITS MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT OF 3000 LBS BY 133.4 LBS AND THE CENTER OF GRAVITY (CG) WITHIN LIMITS (LONGITUDINAL AND LATERAL).  THE PIC STATED THAT THE CALCULATED HOVER IN GROUND EFFECT (HIGE) ALTITUDE WAS 8600 FT.

PRIOR TO LANDING, THE PIC PERFORMED AN AVAILABLE POWER CHECK BY SLOWING TO A NEAR HOVER, PULLING POWER TO REDLINE TURBINE OUTLET TEMPERATURE (TOT) WHICH YIELDED A SMALL CLIMB RATE.  THE PIC FELT THAT HIS WEIGHT AND PERFORMANCE CALCULATIONS GAVE HIM AN ADEQUATE SAFETY MARGIN.  THE PIC ALSO PERFORMED SEVERAL ORBITS (HIGH RECONNAISSANCE) OF THE LZ TO DETERMINE THE WIND DIRECTION AND ESTIMATED VELOCITY.  NO WIND IN THE VICINITY OF THE PROPOSED LANDING ZONE (LZ), A DIRT ROAD, WAS DETECTED.

N618SG BEGAN A LANDING APPROACH ON A NORTHEASTERLY HEADING, TURNING TO A EASTERLY HEADING TO LAND ON A LEVEL AREA OF THE ROAD. AS THE AIRCRAFT SLOWED BELOW EFFECTIVE TRANSLATIONAL LIFT (ETL), IT BEGAN A SLOW, RIGHT TURN WHICH QUICKLY BECAME A RAPID UNCOMMANDED RIGHT TURN TO THE SOUTH.  THE PIC APPLIED FULL LEFT PEDAL TO COUNTERACT THE RIGHT TURN AND APPLIED FORWARD CYCLIC TO FLY OUT OF THE APPARENT LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR EFFECTIVENESS (LTE) SITUATION.

AS N618SG WAS FLYING DOWNSLOPE SOUTH OF THE LZ ON A SOUTHERLY HEADING, IT SNAGGED A PORTION OF THE THICK UNDERBRUSH.  N618SG PITCHED NOSE DOWN, THE MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM STRIKING THE GROUND.  N618SG CAME TO REST ON ITS LEFT SIDE, FACING ON A HEADING OF 310 DEGREES.

## 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 GAA18CA117](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA117), Feb 1, 2018: Hughes Helicopters 369 (N618SG), Wrightwood, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s high altitude, high gross weight landing with insufficient tail rotor thrust resulting in a loss of tail rotor effectiveness.

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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