# Accident 20240531019879A: John Preston Ruth HUMMINGBIRD 300L, New Hill, NC, May 31, 2024

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 31, 2024, 19:40 local time
- Place: New Hill, NC
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.6811° N, 78.9356° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.6811&lon=-78.9356&mi=10
- Aircraft: N331PF, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N331PF) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: John Preston Ruth HUMMINGBIRD 300L (registry code 05639Y5, https://openairdocs.org/model/john-preston-ruth-hummingbird-300l) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental IO-540 series (registry code 17051, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: JOHN PRESTON RUTH HUMMINGBIRD 300L
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR IO-540 SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 15,000 total, 85 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA24LA244](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA244) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240531019879A

## Narrative

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

DURING SEQUENTIAL HOVERING TO TRACK MAIN ROTOR BLADES, AIRCRAFT WAS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. PIC REPORTED CYCLIC MOVING IN A SEMICIRCULAR MOTION PERIODICALLY IN A TIME SEQUENCE.  I WATCHED A VIDEO TAKEN PRIOR TO ACCIDENT FLIGHT, WHICH APPEARED TO HAVE BLADE OUT OF PHASE IN A ONE-PER-REV PATTERN.

NEARING DUSK, PIC WAS NOT SURE WHAT HAPPENED, AS GROUND CONTACT WAS MADE, IMPACT OF BLADE WITH FENCE AND HARD LANDING WITH GROUND AND OBSTACLES.  AIRCRAFT MOVED FORWARD-ISH AND TURNING LEFT ABOUT COUPLE HUNDRED FEET, AS IT APPEARED A WEEK LATER.

PIC STATED TO INVESTIGATOR HE HAD KNOWN SOMETHING WAS WRONG AND AFTER 89 HOURS, HE HAD NOT YET TAKEN HIS FAMILY FOR A RIDE, AS THEY TRIED TO CORRECT THE VIBRATION AND CONTROL ISSUES.

MANUFACTURER REPORTEDLY TOLD HIM TO TRACK THE BLADES. HE WAS TRACKING BLADES USING LITTLE LED LIGHTS ON THE BLADE TIP AREAS.

ANOTHER OWNER REPORTEDLY TOLD HIM IT WAS THE DAMPERS NEEDING CORRECTION.

ONE ARTICLE IN ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ BY ANOTHER OWNER BUILDER, WHO VISITED ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ALSO; SHOWED A MULTIPLE BLADE DAMPER CHANGE SEQUENCE OF ALL MAIN ROTOR DAMPERS MORE THAN ONCE TRYING TO RESOLVE SIMILAR.

IN THAT HELICOPTER, THE ASSISTANCE FROM THE MANUFACTURER REMOVED ALL DAMPERS AND THE ENTIRE ROTOR HUB AND BROUGHT IT BACK MUCH LATER AND THEN USED A ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ELECTRONIC TRACK AND BALANCE APPARATUS TO IMPROVE THAT ONE AND ADJUST THE DAMPERS FOR PROPER PHASING AND OPERATION.

## 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 ERA24LA244](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA244), Jun 1, 2024: Ruth Hummingbird (N331PF), New Hill, NC, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter while hovering.

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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