- Date
- March 17, 1989, 17:50 local (Mar 18, 1989, 01:50 UTC)
- Place
- Malibu, CA
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N8784FHughes 269A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 12, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890317004129A
- Case key
- 26352
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 failure of the passenger to follow briefed procedures and the failure of ground personnel to provide adequate assistance.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
After touchdown, the pilot remained in the helicopter for shutdown procedures. Before the rotor blades had stopped the passenger, with the help of a person outside, exited the helicopter. Before clear of the main rotor blades, the passenger raised her hand. The rotor contacted her left hand and amputated her thumb and index finger.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8784F
- Reported as
- Hughes 269A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 720110
- Airframe hours
- 2,055
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360-B1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Williams, Gerald L.
- Registered owner
- Williams, Gerald L
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 15, 1988 · 12 hours before
- Departed
- SMO · Santa Monica, CA
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
- 44
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,850 total · 280 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F
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 N8784F · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.