# NTSB DEN01TA019: Hughes 369D, N411SM, Montrose, CO, December 6, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Final report - Date: December 6, 2000, 15:10 local (22:10 UTC) - Place: Montrose, CO - Coordinates: 38.489727, -107.869125 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.4897&lon=-107.8691&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 1, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 50748 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN01TA019 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/50748/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN01TA019 ## Probable cause the foreign object damage to a main rotor blade, while maneuvering. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Rotor failure/malfunction, maneuvering - rotor system,main rotor - foreign object damage (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - run on landing - performed, pilot in command (cause) - landing gear,skid assembly - failure (cause) - Roll over, emergency descent/landing ## Analysis The helicopter was engaged in an animal capture program. The pilot said that the net-gunner had deployed a net over a deer, when he felt the helicopter began to "shake violently." He said that the helicopter was approximately 10 feet off the ground; he landed it with 10 to 15 knots of forward speed. After sliding approximately 10 feet, the pilot heard a loud bang, and the aircraft rolled right and forward. The helicopter came to rest on its left side with its right landing skid broken. Postaccident examination of the helicopter's main rotor blades revealed that one blade had leading edge damage that corresponded in size to a missing net weight. ## Factual narrative On December 6, 2000, at approximately 1510 mountain standard time, a Hughes 369D, N411SM, was destroyed when it rolled over during a forced landinging near Montrose, Colorado. The commercial pilot and his two passengers were not injured. Helicopters by OZ, Inc., was operating the aircraft under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for this local public use flight that had originated at approximately 1445 from a staging area. No flight plan had been filed. The helicopter was operating under contract with the State of Colorado's Division of Wildlife, and was engaged in an animal capture program. The pilot said that the net-gunner had deployed a net over a deer when he felt the helicopter begin to "shake violently." He said that the helicopter was approximately 10 feet off the ground; he landed it with 10 to 15 knots of forward speed. After sliding approximately 10 feet, the pilot heard a loud bang, and the aircraft rolled right and forward. The helicopter came to rest on its left side with its right landing skid broken, its tail boom separated, and its main rotor blades destroyed. Postaccident examination of the helicopter's main rotor blades revealed that one blade had leading edge damage that corresponded in size to a missing net weight. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N411SM](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N411SM-2001-06-08), registration cancelled 2001-06-08, S/N 600743D (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) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 600743D - Airframe hours: 4392 - Engines: Allison 250-C20B 420 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Other work use, Part 91 - Registered owner: Helicopters By Oz, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Special, Restricted (Special) ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 48; commercial, private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 6,000 total, 4,500 in this make and model, 5,900 as pilot in command, 150 in the last 90 days, 70 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 115 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: MTJ, 12 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 20001206028669A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20001206028669A), Dec 6, 2000: Hughes 369D, Montrose, CO, No damage. (-23)During animal capture operations, a lead weight attached to a capture net came loose as the net was fired from a netgun. The lead weight damaged a main… 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.