# NTSB CEN18LA183: Hughes 369A, N369GK, Stoneburg, TX, May 19, 2018 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 19, 2018, 09:45 local (14:45 UTC) - Place: Stoneburg, TX - Coordinates: 33.706943, -97.916664 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.7069&lon=-97.9167&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 4 serious - Status: Completed, report April 30, 2019 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: AVP-100, Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 97283 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN18LA183 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/97283/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=97283 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18LA183 ## Probable cause The pilot's unsafe and aggressive operation of the helicopter at low altitude, which resulted in impact with trees. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Hughes 369A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=4470503), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md) - [Attention/monitoring: monitoring environment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Hughes 369A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md?model=4470503), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Hughes 369A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md?model=4470503), [All aircraft, 1,310 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: tree(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Hughes 369A, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md?model=4470503), [All aircraft, 933 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Abrupt maneuver](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/270); cases with it: [Hughes 369A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/270/sequence.md?model=4470503), [All aircraft, 346 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/270/sequence.md) - [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Hughes 369A, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=4470503), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) - [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220) (defining event); cases with it: [Hughes 369A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220/sequence.md?model=4470503), [All aircraft, 780 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220/sequence.md) ## Analysis The commercial pilot was conducting an aerial tour flight to hunt hogs in the helicopter with four passengers on board. As the pilot was returning to the landing zone and the helicopter was about 125 ft above the ground, a passenger saw a coyote below the helicopter and reported it to the other occupants. The pilot then chose to chase the coyote and suddenly made a tight, right turn and then entered a steep descent, which resulted in the helicopter rapidly approaching a tree line; the pilot initiated a climb, but the helicopter impacted the trees and then terrain. Postaccident examination of the helicopter revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot was operating the helicopter unsafely at a low altitude, which likely resulted in him seeing the tree line ahead too late to avoid impact with the trees. ## Factual narrative On May 19, 2018, about 0930 central daylight time, a Hughes 369A helicopter, N369GK, struck trees and impacted terrain about 4 miles north of Stoneburg and 8 miles north of Bowie, Texas.. The pilot and three passengers were seriously injured, and the helicopter was destroyed. The helicopter was registered to Longhorn Helicopters and operated by Hogbirds under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as an aerial tour flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the accident site, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight was part of a guided hog hunt on private property for military veterans. There were four occupants on board: the pilot in the right front seat, the navigator in the left front seat, and two passengers in the rear acting as shooters. According to a passenger, who was seated in the front left seat and was acting as a navigator during the flight, the flight had completed a hunt and a call had been made to safe the weapons. Subsequently, the flight started to return to the landing zone. While flying about 125 feet above the ground a passenger spotted a coyote below the helicopter and notified the rest of the occupants. The pilot made a sudden tight right turn and entered a steep descent downwind to chase the coyote. The flight crossed a road and dropped into the middle of a wheat field. The flight rapidly approached a tree line and the pilot initiated a climb, but the helicopter collided with trees and impacted terrain. The navigator was able to extricate himself from the helicopter and went for help. The pilot and passengers were taken to hospitals with serious injuries. The navigator was taken to a hospital with minor injuries. The navigator did not report any mechanical malfunction of the helicopter prior to the accident. Neither the pilot or operator submitted a statement to FAA or NTSB. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N369GK](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N369GK-2021-09-04), registration cancelled 2021-09-04, S/N 580468, built 1967 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: HUGHES 369A (NO SERIES) - Registry model: [Hughes 369A](https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-369a) (registry code 4470503) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Allison T63 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-t63-series) (registry code 03031, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 580468 - Year built: 1967 - Engines: Allison 250-C18A 317 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Business, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: NONE, Sunset, TX - Destination: NONE, Sunset, TX - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 42; injuries: serious; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 608 total, 100 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 160° at 14 knots, gusting 21 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 29.85 inHg - Turbulence: Unknown - Observed at: 0F2, 5 nm away ## 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 20180519010739A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180519010739A), May 19, 2018: Hughes 369A, Stoneburg, TX, Destroyed. At about 0915 am, Hughes aircraft N369GK carrying a pilot, a left seat spotter and two passengers took off from a landing zone (lz) in sunset, Texas in pursuit… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 21, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=97283. 991 KB in all. - Statement of Andrew Anderson, Navigator (item 1, .PDF, 55 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40470523&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Andrew%20Anderson,%20Navigator-Master.PDF - Google Maps of Accident Site (item 2, .PDF, 864 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40470524&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Google%20Maps%20of%20Accident%20Site-Master.PDF - E-Mail from Todd Gentry, FAA AVP-100 (item 3, .PDF, 71 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40474482&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=E-Mail%20from%20Todd%20Gentry,%20FAA%20AVP-100-Master.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.