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20180704023669A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Hughes 369D · July 4, 2018

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
July 4, 2018 · 08:14 local
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N8648F
NTSB investigation
NTSBWPR18FA188
Reported as
Hughes 369D
Reported engine
Rolls-Royce 250-C20B
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
2
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificates
Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
844 total200 in this make and model
N8648FRegistered now · Hughes Helicopters HUGHES 369DS/N 180257D · Built 1978Airframe modelHughes Helicopters HUGHES 369DEngine modelRolls-Royce 250-C20BTurbo-shaft

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.

At approximately 2114 gmt, the helicopter initiated a normal pinnacle type of departure from the vessels helipad with the pilot and one observer on board. The aircraft proceeded to accelerate normally away from the vessel on a routine flight to spot tuna fish.

Twenty one seconds into the flight the aircraft made a left turn and proceeded across the path of the ship at a low altitude of 10 to 15 feet and approximately 35 knots. The water was glassy with 6 to 8 foot swells.

The aircraft appears to have been parallel to and flying in the trough of a swell. As the water rose, the right pontoon contacted the water causing a loss of control and the aircraft entered the water thirty one seconds into flight.

The rotor blades give evidence the aircraft was under power at the time of impact and no abnormal attitude or flight path is noted in the ship's video of the accident.

A service boat was immediately sent to rescue the crew. Cpr was performed on both members. The captain declared both dead at 2125 gmt. Aircraft recovered to vessel.

As the FAA filed it

AT APPROXIMATELY 2114 GMT, THE HELICOPTER INITIATED A NORMAL PINNACLE TYPE OF DEPARTURE FROM THE VESSELS HELIPAD WITH THE PILOT AND ONE OBSERVER ON BOARD. THE AIRCRAFT PROCEEDED TO ACCELERATE NORMALLY AWAY FROM THE VESSEL ON A ROUTINE FLIGHT TO SPOT TUNA FISH.

TWENTY ONE SECONDS INTO THE FLIGHT THE AIRCRAFT MADE A LEFT TURN AND PROCEEDED ACROSS THE PATH OF THE SHIP AT A LOW ALTITUDE OF 10 TO 15 FEET AND APPROXIMATELY 35 KNOTS. THE WATER WAS GLASSY WITH 6 TO 8 FOOT SWELLS.

THE AIRCRAFT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN PARALLEL TO AND FLYING IN THE TROUGH OF A SWELL. AS THE WATER ROSE, THE RIGHT PONTOON CONTACTED THE WATER CAUSING A LOSS OF CONTROL AND THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED THE WATER THIRTY ONE SECONDS INTO FLIGHT.

THE ROTOR BLADES GIVE EVIDENCE THE AIRCRAFT WAS UNDER POWER AT THE TIME OF IMPACT AND NO ABNORMAL ATTITUDE OR FLIGHT PATH IS NOTED IN THE SHIP'S VIDEO OF THE ACCIDENT.

A SERVICE BOAT WAS IMMEDIATELY SENT TO RESCUE THE CREW. CPR WAS PERFORMED ON BOTH MEMBERS. THE CAPTAIN DECLARED BOTH DEAD AT 2125 GMT. AIRCRAFT RECOVERED TO VESSEL.

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 WPR18FA188Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportMajuroThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance above the surface of the ocean.Jul 4, 2018 · Destroyed