# Incident 20211116020849I: Hughes 369D, Palm Springs, CA, November 16, 2021

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 16, 2021, 18:15 local time
- Place: Palm Springs, CA
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.8303° N, 116.5453° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Palm Springs, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.8303&lon=-116.5453&mi=10
- Aircraft: N48MP, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N48MP) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Hughes Helicopters HUGHES 369D (registry code 4470706, https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-helicopters-hughes-369d) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rolls-Royce 250-C20B (registry code 54385, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-250-c20b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES 369D
- Reported engine: ROLLS-ROYC 250-C20B
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 30,000 total, 11,000 in this make and model, 400 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20211116020849I

## Narrative

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

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 20070606008269A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070606008269A), Jun 6, 2007: Hughes 369D (N48MP), Troy, OR, No damage. (-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…

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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