# Accident 20180616015519A: Mcdonnell Douglas Heli Co 369FF, Yabucoa, PR, June 16, 2018

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 16, 2018, 17:00 local time
- Place: Yabucoa, PR
- Airport: Humacao
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
- Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
- Operator: WYFL
- Location: 18.0511° N, 65.8794° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=18.0511&lon=-65.8794&mi=10
- Aircraft: N900FF, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N900FF) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mcdonnell Douglas Heli 369FF (registry code 3027371, https://openairdocs.org/model/mcdonnell-douglas-heli-369ff) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rolls-Royce 250-C30 (registry code 54023, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-250-c30) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MCDONNELL DOUGLAS HELI CO 369FF
- Reported engine: ROLLS-ROYC 250-C30
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 16,564 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA18CA378](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA378) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180616015519A

## Narrative

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

EARLIER ON THIS DAY, 06/16/2018, THE PILOT HAD FLOWN A LINEMAN TO AN ELECTRIC TOWER TO WORK ON A WIRE (A FIBER LINE ON TOP OF THE STRUCTURE). THE FIBER LINE WAS TEMPORARILY ATTACHED LOWER ON TOP OF THE STRUCTURE (PILOT DID NOT KNOW THIS AT THIS TIME). AFTER COMPLETION OF HIS WORK ON THE STRUCTURE, THE LINEMAN RADIOED THE PILOT FOR PICKUP. WHEN THE PILOT RETURNED TO PICK UP THE LINEMAN, THE LINEMAN WAS IN THE SAME LOCATION ON THE STRUCTURE, AND WAS READY TO TRANSFER BACK TO THE HELICOPTER. THE PILOT HOVERED IN CLOSER TO POSITION THE HELICOPTER FOR PICKUP, AND SIGNALLED THE LINEMAN THAT HE WAS READY FOR THE LINEMAN TO TRANSFER FROM THE STRUCTURE TO THE SKID. THE LINEMAN WAS REACHING OUT TO ATTACH HIS SAFETY LANYARD TO THE HELICOPTER WHEN THE PILOT FELT THE VIBRATION OF THE BLADES WHEN THE BLADES CONTACTED THE FIBER LINE FOR A SECOND. AFTER THAT, THE FIBER LINE BROKE, AND SHOT BACK AWAY FROM THE STRUCTURE. PILOT ESTIMATED THAT THE CONTACT OF THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES WITH THE FIBER LINE OCCURRED AT HIS 7 TO 8 O?CLOCK POSITION. THE PILOT OBSERVED THE LINEMAN UNHARMED AND STILL STANDING ON THE STRUCTURE. PILOT HOVERED THERE BRIEFLY; REALIZED WHAT HAPPENED; AND NOTICED NO ERRATIC MOVEMENT OF THE HELICOPTER - NO YAW, NO SURGE OR DECREASSE IN THE ROTOR RPM. HE THEN HOVERED TO HIS RIGHT CLEAR OF THE STRUCTURE; CHECKED THE CONROLIBILITY; FOUND NO PROBLEMS; REPORTED ON THE RADIO THAT HE HAD A BLADE STRIKE, AND FLEW DIRECTLY TO A KNOWN SAFE LANDING AREA NEARBY AT APPROXIMATELY 1700 LOCAL TIME. THE LINEMAN STAYED AT THE STRUCTURE.

THE PILOT DISCUSSED THIS INCIDENT WITH THE LINEMAN AFTERWARDS, AND LEARNED THAT THE FIBER LINE WAS IN A LOWER POSITION WHEN HE DROPPED OFF THE LINEMAN ONTO THE STRUCTURE. THE WORK PERFORMED BY THE LINEMAN ON THE STRUCTURE WAS TO ATTACH THE FIBER LINE TO ITS PROPER POSITION, WHICH MEANT THAT THE PROPER INSTALLATION WOULD RAISE THE FIBER LINE BY APPROXIMATELY 8 INCHES HIGHER THAN ITS PREVIOUS LOCATION.

## 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 GAA18CA378](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA378), Jun 16, 2018: Mcdonnell Douglas Heli 369 (N900FF), Yabucoa, PR, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain main rotor clearance from a fiber line while picking up a lineman.

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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