# Accident 20240318002929A: Hughes 369D, Belleville, WV, March 18, 2024

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 18, 2024, 17:40 local time
- Place: Belleville, WV
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Maneuver
- Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
- Location: 39.1323° N, 81.6763° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.1323&lon=-81.6763&mi=10
- Aircraft: N102SU, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N102SU) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Hughes Helicopters HUGHES 369D (registry code 4470706, https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-helicopters-hughes-369d) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Allison 250 SER 250HP (registry code 03002, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-ser-250hp) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES 369D
- Reported engine: ALLISON 250 SER 250HP
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 4,583 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA24LA148](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA148) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240318002929A

## Narrative

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

MARCH 18, 2024 A 14 CFR PART 133 AERIAL TREE TRIMMING OPERATION WAS TAKING PLACE. A MORNING PREFLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED AND SAFETY MEETING CONDUCTED WITH PIC AND GROUND SUPPORT PERSONNELL. MULTIPLE FLIGHTS HAD TAKEN PLACE ON THAT DAY AND PIC AND CREW WERE EXECUTING AN AFTERNOON, END OF DAY OPERATION. PIC WAS TRIMMING IN A NORTHERLY DIRECTION ALONG POWERLINE WHEN THE POWERLINE MADE A HARD EASTERLY TURN. PIC REPORTED THIS WAS A CHALLENGING OPERATION DUE TO PROXIMETY OF POWER LINE TO TREE LIMBS. PIC REPORTED AT THE TIME OF THE EVENT THE HELICOPTER WAS IN SMOOTH OPERATION WELL ABOVE THE TREE TOPS WITH THE SAW APPROXIMATELY 60 FEET ABOVE GROUND WHEN AN AUDIBLE "EXPLOSION" WAS HEARD BY PIC FOLLOWED BY A DECENT. PIC DID NOT OBSERVE ANY INSTRUMENTATION INDICATION OR WAS NOT AWARE OF ANY AUDIBLE WARNINGS, INSTEAD SCANNED THE TERRAIN AND ATTEMTED TO CONTROL THE HELICOPTER TO THE MOST FAVORABLE AREA TO LAND. THE HELICOPTER PITCHED FORWARD AND SLIGHTLY ROLLED TO THE RIGHT AND BEGAN CONTACTING TREES DURING UNCONTROLLED DECENT AND IMPACTED THE GOUND INVERTED. GROUND SUPPORT PERSONNEL OBSERVING THE OPERATION STATED IN A WRITTEN STATEMENT THAT JUST PRIOR TO THE EVENT THE HELICOPTER ENGINE WAS HEARD SOUNDING NORMAL AND THEN WENT SILENT AND IMPACT SOUND WAS HEARD.

NO MECHANICALS IRREGULARITIES HAVE BEEN NOTED AT THIS TIME

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ERA24LA148](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA148), Mar 18, 2024: Hughes 369D (N102SU), Belleville, WV, substantial damage. Probable cause: The ingestion of foreign object debris into the engine, which resulted in a sudden loss of engine power and a subsequent collision with trees and terrain during the forced landing.

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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