- Date
- September 18, 1989
- Place
- Agana
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N8134YHughes 269A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 29, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890918065469A
- Case key
- 26510
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
Inadequate visual lookout by the pilot, which resulted in his failure to see-and-avoid the power line. The power line was a related factor.
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
The helicopter was being operated on a visual reconnaissance/orientation flt with a plt & a police agent aboard. While flying at about 200 ft above the fonte river (following a valley), the helicopter collided with a power line that crossed the river. During impact, the main rotor system separated & the helicopter crashed in dense jungle. No preimpact mechanical problem was evident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8134Y
- Reported as
- Hughes 269A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 180763
- Airframe hours
- 13,858
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360-B1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Public aircraft · Part 91
- Operator
- Government Of Guam
- Registered owner
- U.S. Dept Of The Interior
- Departed
- PGUM · Nas Agana, OF
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
- 42
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 562 total · 40 in this make and model · 429 as pilot in command · 28 in the last 90 days · 13 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PGUM, 3 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.