# NTSB WPR10LA308: Hughes 369HS, N8305F, Paicines, CA, June 22, 2010 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 22, 2010, 14:30 local (21:30 UTC) - Place: Paicines, CA - Coordinates: 36.711387, -121.275558 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.7114&lon=-121.2756&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Fire/smoke (non-impact)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/150) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 4 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 18, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 76423 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR10LA308 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/76423/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=76423 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR10LA308 ## Probable cause An in-flight fire for undetermined reasons. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Hughes 369HS, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=4470728), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Fire/smoke (non-impact)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/150) (defining event); cases with it: [Hughes 369HS, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/150/sequence.md?model=4470728), [All aircraft, 504 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/150/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that he had been airborne for a little over an hour and was at an altitude of 3,000 feet and cruising at 100 knots. The pilot stated that he smelled smoke and felt an unusual vibration. The pilot immediately made a precautionary landing in a parking lot. As he and his passengers were exiting the helicopter, the pilot noted a fire. The pilot was unable to put the fire out with a fire extinguisher and the helicopter was subsequently consumed. Due to the extensive thermal damage, postaccident examination of the helicopter by two Federal Aviation Administration inspectors could not determine the source of the fire. ## Factual narrative On June 22, 2010, at 1430 Pacific daylight time, a Hughes 369HS helicopter, N8305F, was substantially damaged by fire subsequent to a precautionary landing near Paicines, California. The private pilot and his three passengers were not injured. Del Rio Aviation, Inc., was operating the helicopter under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal cross-country flight, which had originated from Paso Robles, California, approximately 1315. A flight plan had not been filed. The pilot reported that he had been airborne for a little over an hour and was at an altitude of 3,000 feet, and cruising at 100 knots on a 335-degree course. The pilot stated that he smelled smoke and felt a "different" vibration. The pilot immediately made a precautionary landing in a parking lot. As he and his passengers were exiting the helicopter, the pilot noted a fire. The pilot was unable to put the fire out with a fire extinguisher and the helicopter was subsequently consumed. Due to the extensive thermal damage, postaccident examination of the helicopter by two Federal Aviation Administration inspectors could not determine the source of the fire. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8305F](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8305F), registered now, S/N 160782S (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: HUGHES 369HS - Registry model: [Hughes 369HS](https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-369hs) (registry code 4470728) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 160782S - Engines: Allison C-20 turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Del Rio Aviation Inc - Registered owner: Del Rio Aviation Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 11, 2009 - Departed: PRB, Paso Robles, CA - Destination: CCR, Concord, CA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 55; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review January 15, 2010; seat: right; flight hours: 4,000 total, 950 in this make and model, 100 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 270° at 12 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 52 °F - Altimeter: 30.04 inHg - Observed at: SNS, 16 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 20100622036279A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100622036279A), Jun 22, 2010: Hughes 369HS, Paicines, CA, Destroyed. During the cruise portion of flight, the pilot stated that he smelled smoke. He believed he had a generator problem and proceeded to shut it down. The smoke… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 18, 2011, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=76423. 341 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 341 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40347671&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.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.