- Date
- September 21, 2014, 15:00 local (Sep 22, 2014, 01:00 UTC)
- Place
- Mokuleia, HI
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N8375ERobinson Helicopter R44
- Defining event
- Approach: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 13, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20140921019789A
- Case key
- 90139
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 pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during landing with a quartering tailwind, which resulted in a hard landing.
Findings · 3
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
When the helicopter was inbound to the destination airport, one of the two pilots radioed for the wind information, and was provided a wind direction of 310 degrees at a speed of 10 knots by the Unicom operator. The pilot flew a left traffic pattern for runway 8, which according to the flying pilot, was a "normal approach for winds from the northeast." The pilot planned to land on the compass rose painted just north of the threshold of runway 8. The flight and approach were normal through the turn to the base leg. On short final or in the flare, the helicopter began descending too quickly, and the pilots were unable to arrest the descent before the helicopter struck the ground. The helicopter remained upright; the pilots shut down the helicopter and de-boarded the passengers. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail, tail rotor, tail boom, and fuselage. Although both pilots stated that the helicopter experienced a "settling with power" event, neither pilot could recall the reported winds. The flying pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
When the helicopter was inbound to the destination airport, one of the two pilots radioed for the wind information, and was provided a wind direction of 310 degrees at a speed of 10 knots by the Unicom operator. The pilot flew a left traffic pattern for runway 8, which according to the flying pilot, was a "normal approach for winds from the northeast." The pilot planned to land on the compass rose painted just north of the threshold of runway 8. The flight and approach were normal through the turn to the base leg. On short final or in the flare, the helicopter began descending too quickly, and the pilots were unable to arrest the descent before the helicopter struck the ground. The helicopter remained upright; the pilots shut down the helicopter and de-boarded the passengers. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail, tail rotor, tail boom, and fuselage. Although both pilots stated that the helicopter experienced a "settling with power" event, neither pilot could recall the reported winds. The flying pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8375E
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R44
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0385
- Built
- 1997
- Airframe hours
- 2,059
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540 SERIES, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 2, 2014 · 50 hours before
- Departed
- PHNL · Honolulu, HI
- Destination
- PHDH · Mokuleia, HI
- Airport
- PHDH · Dillingham Field, runway 8, 9,007 × 75 ft, asphalt
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 65
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial, Flight engineer
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 19, 2014
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 21,947 total · 22 in this make and model · 19,730 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days · 28 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 32
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 18, 2014
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 310 total · 310 in this make and model · 259 as pilot in command · 43 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 10 knots
- Observed at
- PHDH
Docket · 7
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 5, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.5 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.