# NTSB WPR19LA249: Hughes 369, N54528, Asotin, WA, September 1, 2019 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: August 31, 2019, 22:17 local (Sep 1, 2019, 05:17 UTC) - Place: Asotin, WA - Coordinates: 46.251667, -116.968612 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.2517&lon=-116.9686&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Takeoff: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 100191 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR19LA249 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/100191/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100191 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR19LA249 ## Probable cause A loss of control 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 Helicopters HUGHES 369D, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=4470706), [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. - [Takeoff: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Hughes Helicopters HUGHES 369D, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=4470706), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot of the helicopter reported that he was departing over a river in dark night conditions when, shortly after takeoff, the helicopter yawed severely to the left. He applied full right anti-torque pedal and the helicopter subsequently impacted the water. The helicopter was not examined after the accident, and the reason for the loss of control could not be determined based on the available information. ## Factual narrative On August 31, 2019, about 2217 Pacific daylight time, a Hughes 369D helicopter, N54528, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Asotin, Washington. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that he and his passenger departed from a private residence near the Snake River in dark night conditions. The pilot recalled that shortly after lifting off, the helicopter yawed severely to the left. He applied full right anti-torque pedal and the helicopter subsequently impacted the water. He and the passenger egressed the helicopter, which subsequently sank, and were rescued shortly thereafter. The pilot stated that the helicopter had experienced a loss of tail rotor effectiveness, and that the accident was not due to anything he did incorrectly. The mechanic who was repairing the helicopter after the accident reported that the aft tail rotor aft drive flex coupling had sheared. He stated that none of the four tail rotor blades were damaged during the accident sequence. No follow-up examination of the helicopter was performed, and the reason for the loss of control could not be determined. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N54528](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N54528), registered now, S/N 390464D (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Hughes 369 (D) - Registry model: [Hughes Helicopters HUGHES 369D](https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-helicopters-hughes-369d) (registry code 4470706) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 390464D - Year built: 1978 - Engines: Allison C-20B 420 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: Asotin, WA - Destination: Asotin, WA - Equipment: ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 42; injuries: none; commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review June 12, 2019; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 8,000 total, 3,000 in this make and model, 4,000 as pilot in command, 15 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Wind: calm - Lowest ceiling: none - Observed at: KLWS, 8 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 20190831021799A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190831021799A), Aug 31, 2019: Hughes 369D, Asotin, WA, Substantial damage. Departed personal property to fly across the snake river (east bound). Within 10 seconds pilot stated that he sensed an engine failure and pilot applied full… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 21, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100191. 4.4 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 4.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12876004&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot-Operator%20accident%20report%20form_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Records of conversation (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 139 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12876014&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Records%20of%20Conversation-Rel.pdf - Photo array of helicopter being recovered from snake river (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 268 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12875700&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array%20of%20helicopter%20being%20recovered%20from%20Snake%20River-Rel.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.