OpenAirDocs.org

20211116020849I

Incident · Minor damage
Open the Markdown

FAA incident report · Hughes 369D · Palm Springs, CA · November 16, 2021

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
November 16, 2021 · 18:15 local
Place
Palm Springs, CA
Phase of flight
Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N48MP
Reported as
Hughes 369D
Reported engine
Rolls-Royce 250-C20B
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
30,000 total11,000 in this make and model400 in the last 90 days
N48MPRegistered now · Hughes Helicopters HUGHES 369DS/N 1137D · Built 1982Airframe 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.

On 11/16/2021 an airman was landing in the area of north Palm Springs. The flight was conducted under part 91. The purpose was to track cattle. In the area. Upon his descent the airman stated he checked the area and felt he was clear of all obstacles. During descent to the ground the rotor blade of his helicopter struck a small branch of a tree limb.

The airman stated he did not realize he was as close to the tree as he actually was and thought he was clear of all obstacles. He also stated the rotor blades kicked up a lot of dust from the ground and obstructed his visibility of the surrounding area.

The airman stated he inspected the rotor blade after coming in contact with the tree limb and determined he was able to take off again. Once the helicopter returned to its base. The airman, who is the company owner, had the blades replaced as they were coming up on a required inspection anyway. The airman also replace other parts unrelated to the incident as they were required as part of the next inspection.

Airman returned the aircraft back to service after its required inspection was completed.

As the FAA filed it

ON 11/16/2021 AN AIRMAN WAS LANDING IN THE AREA OF NORTH PALM SPRINGS. THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER PART 91. THE PURPOSE WAS TO TRACK CATTLE. IN THE AREA. UPON HIS DESCENT THE AIRMAN STATED HE CHECKED THE AREA AND FELT HE WAS CLEAR OF ALL OBSTACLES. DURING DESCENT TO THE GROUND THE ROTOR BLADE OF HIS HELICOPTER STRUCK A SMALL BRANCH OF A TREE LIMB.

THE AIRMAN STATED HE DID NOT REALIZE HE WAS AS CLOSE TO THE TREE AS HE ACTUALLY WAS AND THOUGHT HE WAS CLEAR OF ALL OBSTACLES. HE ALSO STATED THE ROTOR BLADES KICKED UP A LOT OF DUST FROM THE GROUND AND OBSTRUCTED HIS VISIBILITY OF THE SURROUNDING AREA.

THE AIRMAN STATED HE INSPECTED THE ROTOR BLADE AFTER COMING IN CONTACT WITH THE TREE LIMB AND DETERMINED HE WAS ABLE TO TAKE OFF AGAIN. ONCE THE HELICOPTER RETURNED TO ITS BASE. THE AIRMAN, WHO IS THE COMPANY OWNER, HAD THE BLADES REPLACED AS THEY WERE COMING UP ON A REQUIRED INSPECTION ANYWAY. THE AIRMAN ALSO REPLACE OTHER PARTS UNRELATED TO THE INCIDENT AS THEY WERE REQUIRED AS PART OF THE NEXT INSPECTION.

AIRMAN RETURNED THE AIRCRAFT BACK TO SERVICE AFTER ITS REQUIRED INSPECTION WAS COMPLETED.

Other reports on N48MP · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 20070606008269ATo Vertical (Helicopter Only) · Troy, OR(-23) On June 6, 2007 the pilot [privacy data omitted] was acting as pilot in command of N48MP a Hughes 369 helicopter performing game capture for the Oregon state departure of fish & wildlife. The pilot [privacy data omitted] is the owner of valley…Jun 6, 2007 · No damage