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20230805011339A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Hughes 369D · Elberon, VA · August 5, 2023

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
August 5, 2023 · 13:45 local
Place
Elberon, VA
Phase of flight
Other, Specify
Operating rules
Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
Operator
HXFL
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N353AH
NTSB investigation
NTSBERA23LA326
Reported as
Hughes 369D
Reported engine
Rolls-Royce 250-C20B
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
2
Pilot’s certificates
Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
7,375 total3,924 in this make and model146 in the last 90 days
N353AHRegistered now · Hughes Helicopters HUGHES 369DS/N 811079D · Built 1981Airframe 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.

Aircraft departed new kent county airport (W96) at 0858EDT and flew to wakefield municipal airport (kakq) landing at 0928EDT. The crew was utilizing kakq as the daily landing zone for conducting airborne spray system operations on power line insulators. Aircraft departed kakq again at 1120EDT with one pilot, and one lineman on board to operate the airborne spray system. The flight continued in the area of Elberon, VA for 43 minutes before returning for jet-a (dispensed from a private fuel service vehicle) and to refill the water tank on the spray system. Aircraft departed kakq for a second time to continue operations for the day. During the wash of an outside insulator suspended from a power line structure arm, the crew heard a bang and the aircraft immediately started descending away from the structure into the adjacent 40' tall pine trees. The aircraft came to rest, laying on its left side at 1234EDT. Both crew members egressed under their own power and were taken to the hospital via emergency services.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT DEPARTED NEW KENT COUNTY AIRPORT (W96) AT 0858EDT AND FLEW TO WAKEFIELD MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (KAKQ) LANDING AT 0928EDT. THE CREW WAS UTILIZING KAKQ AS THE DAILY LANDING ZONE FOR CONDUCTING AIRBORNE SPRAY SYSTEM OPERATIONS ON POWER LINE INSULATORS. AIRCRAFT DEPARTED KAKQ AGAIN AT 1120EDT WITH ONE PILOT, AND ONE LINEMAN ON BOARD TO OPERATE THE AIRBORNE SPRAY SYSTEM. THE FLIGHT CONTINUED IN THE AREA OF ELBERON, VA FOR 43 MINUTES BEFORE RETURNING FOR JET-A (DISPENSED FROM A PRIVATE FUEL SERVICE VEHICLE) AND TO REFILL THE WATER TANK ON THE SPRAY SYSTEM. AIRCRAFT DEPARTED KAKQ FOR A SECOND TIME TO CONTINUE OPERATIONS FOR THE DAY. DURING THE WASH OF AN OUTSIDE INSULATOR SUSPENDED FROM A POWER LINE STRUCTURE ARM, THE CREW HEARD A BANG AND THE AIRCRAFT IMMEDIATELY STARTED DESCENDING AWAY FROM THE STRUCTURE INTO THE ADJACENT 40' TALL PINE TREES. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST, LAYING ON ITS LEFT SIDE AT 1234EDT. BOTH CREW MEMBERS EGRESSED UNDER THEIR OWN POWER AND WERE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL VIA EMERGENCY SERVICES.

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 ERA23LA326Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportElberon, VAThe pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a power line structure arm, which resulted in main rotor blade contact.Aug 5, 2023 · Substantial damage