# NTSB ANC24LA016: Hughes 369D, N690WA, Hana, HI, February 20, 2024 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: February 20, 2024, 09:15 local (19:15 UTC) - Place: Hana, HI · Open field - Coordinates: 20.671167, -156.05866 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=20.6712&lon=-156.0587&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 193819 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC24LA016 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/193819/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193819 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC24LA016 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to ensure the passenger’s gear was properly secured before departure. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Inspection: preflight inspection](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Hughes Helicopters HUGHES 369D, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md?model=4470706), [All aircraft, 551 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: expectation/assumption](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041525): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Hughes Helicopters HUGHES 369D, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041525/cases.md?model=4470706), [All aircraft, 51 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041525/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: understanding/comprehension](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041515): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Passenger (probable cause); cases with it: [Hughes Helicopters HUGHES 369D, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041515/cases.md?model=4470706), [All aircraft, 70 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041515/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470) (defining event); cases with it: [Hughes Helicopters HUGHES 369D, 26 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=4470706), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that after landing at a remote landing zone (LZ) to pick up a single passenger, the passenger loaded their gear in the aft right seat and secured it with a seatbelt. While enroute, the two occupants heard a “loud and violent bang” and the nose of the helicopter moved to the right and vibrations followed. The pilot looked back at the tail rotor, saw it was spinning freely, and confirmed the tail rotor drive train had failed. The pilot performed an autorotation to an open field. A post flight inspection revealed that the passenger’s rain pants were missing from the aft right seat. It was determined that the rain pants had exited the helicopter and impacted the tail rotor resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage, tail boom, horizontal stabilizer and tail rotor assembly and gearbox. The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N690WA](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N690WA), registered now, S/N 1170237D, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: HUGHES 369D - Registry model: [Hughes Helicopters HUGHES 369D](https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-helicopters-hughes-369d) (registry code 4470706) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rolls-Royce 250-C20B](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-250-c20b) (registry code 54385, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 1170237D - Year built: 1978 - Airframe hours: 22452.3 - Engines: ROLLS-ROYC 250-C20B 420 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Other work use, Public use - Operator: Windward Aviation Inc - Registered owner: Windward Aviation Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, February 12, 2024, 20.2 hours before - Departed: PHOG, Kahului, HI - Destination: PHOG, Kahului, HI - Flight plan: Company VFR - Equipment: Satellite tracking device, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 32; injuries: none; commercial; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review December 4, 2023; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 3,488 total, 2,412 in this make and model, 3,425 as pilot in command, 132 in the last 90 days, 43 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 30.20 inHg - Turbulence: Light - Observed at: PHOG, 25 nm away - METAR: PHOG 201954Z 00000KT 10SM FEW050 24/12 A3020 RMK AO2 SLP231 T02440122 ## 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 20240220000799A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240220000799A), Feb 20, 2024: Hughes 369D, Kipahulu, HI, Substantial damage. The pilot picked up a passenger from unimproved site. While on the ground with the helicopter running the passenger secured his gear into the back seat of the… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 2, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193819. 6.6 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 5.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16773065&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ANC24La016%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigative photographs (item 2, PDF, 6 pages, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16760659&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ANC24LA016%20photo%20array-Rel.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.