# NTSB ANC03LA026: Hughes 369E, N500DX, Paxson, AK, February 10, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 10, 2003, 11:00 local (15:00 UTC) - Place: Paxson, AK - Coordinates: 63.216667, -145.966659 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=63.2167&lon=-145.9667&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 23, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: FAA Anchorage FSDO-03 - NTSB case key (mKey): 56472 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC03LA026 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/56472/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=56472 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC03LA026 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain altitude/clearance from terrain. A factor contributing to the accident was the pilot's attention being diverted inside the cockpit to look at the global positioning system. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with terrain/water, maneuvering - diverted attention, pilot in command (contributing factor) - altitude/clearance - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - terrain condition - snow covered ## Analysis The helicopter pilot was conducting an aerial surveying flight over snow-covered terrain. During the survey operation, the pilot maneuvered the helicopter about 200 feet above ground level, while one of the passengers would drop stakes about every 800 feet along a property line. The pilot's attention was diverted inside the helicopter to monitor the global positioning system when the helicopter collided with terrain. The pilot said weather was not a factor in the accident. The helicopter impacted level terrain in a level attitude and rolled onto its side. The fuselage and rotor system received substantial damage. ## Factual narrative On February 10, 2003, about 1100 Alaska standard time, a Hughes 369E helicopter, N500DX, sustained substantial damage when it collided with terrain while maneuvering, about 15 miles north-northwest of Paxson, Alaska. The helicopter was being operated by Delta Aviation, of Delta Junction, Alaska, as a visual flight rules (VFR) aerial surveying flight under Title 14, CFR Part 135, when the accident occurred. The commercial pilot and the 2 passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and company VFR flight following procedures were in effect. In a written statement to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), the pilot said that he was conducting an aerial staking operation over snow-covered terrain, along a property line when the accident occurred. The pilot stated he flew along the property line about 200 feet above ground level, and a passenger would drop a stake about every 800 feet. The pilot related that weather conditions were VFR and did not contribute to the accident. The pilot said his attention was diverted inside the helicopter to monitor the global positioning system when the helicopter collided with terrain. The helicopter impacted level terrain in a level attitude and rolled onto its side. The fuselage and rotor system received substantial damage. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N500DX](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N500DX-2018-01-08), registration cancelled 2018-01-08, S/N 0121E (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Hughes 369E - Registry model: [Hughes Helicopters 369E](https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-helicopters-369e) (registry code 4470707) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 0121E - Airframe hours: 4310.2 - Engines: Rolls-Royce 250-C20B 420 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: Delta Aviation, doing business as Delta Aviation - Registered owner: Allwest Freight - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, November 28, 2002, 17 hours before - Departed: 11AK, Delta Junction, AK - Flight plan: Company VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 54; injuries: none; commercial; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review May 7, 2002; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 9,175 total, 1,932 in this make and model, 27 in the last 90 days, 11 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 3 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,500 ft broken - Temperature: 30 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20030210001889A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030210001889A), Feb 10, 2003: Hughes 369E, Paxon, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) The pilot indicated that he was distracted by one of his passengers while encountering flat light conditions and flew the helicopter into terrain.… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 20, 2003, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=56472. 242 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 242 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40383832&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.