# Accident 20250807011249A: Hughes 369D, West Alton, MO, August 7, 2025

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 7, 2025, 11:03 local time
- Place: West Alton, MO
- Airport: St Louis Regional
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
- Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
- Operator: 4XLL
- Location: 38.8615° N, 90.1433° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.8615&lon=-90.1433&mi=10
- Aircraft: N173AL, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N173AL) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Hughes Helicopters HUGHES 369D (registry code 4470706, https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-helicopters-hughes-369d) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Allison 250-C20B (registry code 03081, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c20b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES 369D
- Reported engine: ALLISON 250-C20B
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 2,900 total, 2,402 in this make and model, 250 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN25FA307](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25FA307) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250807011249A

## Narrative

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

ON AUGUST 7, 2025, APPROXIMATELY 11:06 CST, A HUGHES (MD HELICOPTERS) 369D HELICOPTER WAS DESTROYED AFTER THE TAIL OF THE HELICOPTER STRUCK A GUIDE WIRE, WHICH PARTIALLY SEPARATED THE TAILBOOM FROM THE AIRFRAME.  THE HELICOPTER THEN SPUN IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION AND THE COCKPIT HIT THE POWER LINE CAUSING SPARKS. THE HELICOPTER FELL ONTO A BARGE DECK BELOW THEM AND BURST INTO FLAMES.

## 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 CEN25FA307](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25FA307), Aug 7, 2025: Hughes 369D (N173AL), West Alton, MO, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain helicopter clearance from the powerline during the powerline maintenance operation for reasons that could not be determined.

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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