20190228010609A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Sikorsky HH-60L · Lynchburg, TN · February 28, 2019

Date: February 28, 2019 · 15:00 local
Place: Lynchburg, TN
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N260MW
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA19TA110
Reported as: Sikorsky HH-60L
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 2
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 6,178 total1,724 in this make and model22 in the last 90 days

N260MWRegistration cancelled Mar 5, 2022 · Sikorsky HH-60LS/N 86-24560 Airframe modelSikorsky HH-60L

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.

The aircraft departed under VFR flight rules from enterprise al. (Kedn) with a final destination of tullahoma TN. (Ktha) on a special flight permit. The aircraft stopped at scottsboro al. (4A6) about 12:00 pm and refueled prior to continuing on to ktha. They departed scottsboro al (4A6) flying under VFR flight rules with the intended destination of ktha. Approximately 3 to 4 miles sse of ktha they inadvertently entered a rainstorm and realized they were now below the VFR weather requirements. While descending and attempting to turn around out of the clouds the aircrafts lower fuselage struck and imbedded itself on a tree. The aft empennage broke off the main fuselage and remained about 35 feet up in the tree. The main fuselage then impacted the ground 30 feet from the base of the tree on its upper port side. The aircraft appeared to be under power due to the main rotor blades shearing off at the rotor hub and the rotor hub digging a hole in the ground until the power was removed.

As the FAA filed it

THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED UNDER VFR FLIGHT RULES FROM ENTERPRISE AL. (KEDN) WITH A FINAL DESTINATION OF TULLAHOMA TN. (KTHA) ON A SPECIAL FLIGHT PERMIT. THE AIRCRAFT STOPPED AT SCOTTSBORO AL. (4A6) ABOUT 12:00 PM AND REFUELED PRIOR TO CONTINUING ON TO KTHA. THEY DEPARTED SCOTTSBORO AL (4A6) FLYING UNDER VFR FLIGHT RULES WITH THE INTENDED DESTINATION OF KTHA. APPROXIMATELY 3 TO 4 MILES SSE OF KTHA THEY INADVERTENTLY ENTERED A RAINSTORM AND REALIZED THEY WERE NOW BELOW THE VFR WEATHER REQUIREMENTS. WHILE DESCENDING AND ATTEMPTING TO TURN AROUND OUT OF THE CLOUDS THE AIRCRAFTS LOWER FUSELAGE STRUCK AND IMBEDDED ITSELF ON A TREE. THE AFT EMPENNAGE BROKE OFF THE MAIN FUSELAGE AND REMAINED ABOUT 35 FEET UP IN THE TREE. THE MAIN FUSELAGE THEN IMPACTED THE GROUND 30 FEET FROM THE BASE OF THE TREE ON ITS UPPER PORT SIDE. THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO BE UNDER POWER DUE TO THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES SHEARING OFF AT THE ROTOR HUB AND THE ROTOR HUB DIGGING A HOLE IN THE GROUND UNTIL THE POWER WAS REMOVED.

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 ERA19TA110Accident · Serious injuriesClass 3Final reportTullahoma, TNThe flight crew’s improper decision to continue the VFR flight into deteriorating weather conditions, which resulted in a collision with trees during a subsequent precautionary landing attempt.Feb 28, 2019 · Substantial damage