- Date
- March 13, 2019, 18:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Keene, NH
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N8045HHughes TH 55
- Defining event
- Enroute: Birdstrike
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 6, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190313001269A
- Case key
- 99124
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The helicopter’s collision with a bird during cruise flight.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The helicopter pilot reported that, while en route, about 2 miles northeast from his destination airport and about 500 ft above ground level and 60 knots, he heard a loud "thud" from a possible bird strike, and the upper right windscreen/canopy shattered, with pieces going into the main rotor disc and cabin. He continued to the airport and landed without further incident. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor blades. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The helicopter pilot reported that while enroute, about 2 miles northeast from his destination airport, about 500 feet above ground level and 60 knots, he heard a loud "thud" from a possible bird strike and the upper right windscreen/canopy shattered, with pieces going into the main rotor disc and cabin. He continued to the airport and landed without further incident. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor blades. The pilot, a certificated Airframe and Powerplant mechanic with Inspection Authorization, reported that after his examination, the main rotor blade damages were beyond the manufacturer's guidance and repair limits. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8045H
- Reported as
- Hughes TH 55 (269A)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 65-18240
- Built
- 1967
- Airframe hours
- 5,317.2
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360-B1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 15, 2018
- Departed
- Keene, NH
- Destination
- EEN · Keene, NH
- Airport
- EEN · Dillant-Hopkins, runway 32, 4,001 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 35
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Private, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 6, 2017
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 550 total · 25 in this make and model · 415 as pilot in command · 44 in the last 90 days · 7.1 in the last 30 days · 1.3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 14 °F, dew point 12 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.34 inHg
- Observed at
- KLEB, 19 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 2, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.3 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N8045H · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.