# NTSB LAX02LA176: Hughes 369C, N500LA, Agana, May 26, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 26, 2002, 21:30 UTC - Place: Agana - Coordinates: 13.470843, 144.740798 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=13.4708&lon=144.7408&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 29, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 54782 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX02LA176 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54782/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54782 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02LA176 ## Probable cause sabotage to the helicopter's fuel system, which resulted in a loss of engine power and a forced landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, takeoff - initial climb - fuel system - contamination (cause) - sabotage, unknown (cause) - Forced landing, emergency landing after takeoff - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown ## Analysis The helicopter experienced a loss of engine power immediately after takeoff and landed hard. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector found chicken eggs in the helicopter's fuel tanks. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the accident, and listed it as a criminal case. ## Factual narrative On May 26, 2002, about 1430 Guam standard time, a Hughes 369C, N500LA, landed hard after a loss of engine power immediately after takeoff near Agana International Airport, Agana, Guam. Americopters, Inc., was operating the helicopter under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The commercial pilot received minor injuries and the three passengers were not injured; the helicopter sustained substantial damage. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a company flight plan had been filed for the local area business flight. During a telephone interview with the National Transportation Safety Board, a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent assigned to the case stated that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had found chicken eggs in the fuel tanks of the helicopter during a post accident examination. He determined that the accident was the result of sabotage, and therefore a criminal case. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N500LA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N500LA-2020-07-27), registration cancelled 2020-07-27, S/N 440593S (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Hughes 369C - Registry model: [Hughes 369HS](https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-369hs) (registry code 4470728) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 4405935 - Airframe hours: 3713.7 - Engines: Allison C20B 425 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Business, Part 91 - Registered owner: Americopters, Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 1, 2001, 3,707.7 hours before - Departed: NONE, Agana - Destination: NONE, Agana - Flight plan: Company VFR - Airport: PGUM, Guam International Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 56; injuries: minor; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review December 19, 2000; seat: left; flight hours: 5,894 total, 4,800 in this make and model, 5,556 as pilot in command, 50 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 130° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 75 °F - Altimeter: 29.82 inHg - Observed at: PGUM, 1 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 20020526023569A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020526023569A), May 26, 2002: Hughes 369HS, Agana, Guam, Substantial damage. (.19) On may 26, 2002, about 2130 hours local time, a Mcdonnell Douglas 369HS, N500LA, force landed in a private parking lot during takeoff near Agana… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 16, 2004, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54782. 366 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 345 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40439408&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Record of Conversation: FBI (item 2, .PDF, 21 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40210127&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%3A%20FBI-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.