Sunday, November 01, 2020

Hughes 369D, N58251: Accident occurred October 27, 2020 and Incident occurred October 13, 2020

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.  

The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entities: 
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Honolulu, Hawaii
MD Helicopters; Mesa, Arizona 
Rolls-Royce Corporation; Indianapolis, Indiana 

Windward Aviation Inc
Location: Honolulu, HI 
Accident Number: ANC21LA003
Date & Time: October 27, 2020, 12:12 Local 
Registration: N58251
Aircraft: Hughes 369 
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under:

On October 27, 2020, about 1133 Hawaiian standard time, a Hughes 369D, helicopter, N58251, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Honolulu, Hawaii. The pilot was not injured. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 133 external load flight.

The pilot reported that the helicopter was being used to support powerline maintenance operations, by transporting personnel and equipment to remote sites along the powerline route. He said that at the time of the accident he was transporting a large toolbox at the end of a 100-foot external load line that was attached to the helicopter’s belly-mounted cargo hook. He said that as he brought the helicopter to a stable hover over the pickup site and began to lift the external load, he heard the main rotor speed decrease, followed by the sound of the engine out horn, and the engine out light illuminated on the annunciator panel. The pilot said he jettisoned the load, lowered the collective, and tried to maneuver the helicopter downhill to regain main rotor RPM, but it continued to decay. During the descent, the main rotor blades struck several treetops, and the helicopter subsequently settled into the thick treetop canopy, nose down. The pilot said that after the impact, the engine was still operating, and he pulled the fuel shut-off and closed the throttle to shut down the engine.

The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor drive system, tail boom and fuselage.

The helicopter was equipped with a turbo-shaft Rolls-Royce M250-C20B engine. The helicopter has been recovered and a detailed examination is pending.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Hughes 
Registration: N58251
Model/Series: 369 D 
Aircraft Category: Helicopter
Amateur Built: No
Operator:
Operating Certificate(s) Held: Rotorcraft external load (133), On-demand air taxi (135)
Operator Designator Code:

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: 
Condition of Light:
Observation Facility, Elevation: PHNL,7 ft msl
Observation Time: 11:53 Local
Distance from Accident Site: 7 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 27°C /21°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: 
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 5 knots / , 310°
Lowest Ceiling: 
Visibility: 10 miles
Altimeter Setting: 29.94 inches Hg 
Type of Flight Plan Filed:
Departure Point: 
Destination:

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries:
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: 
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 None 
Latitude, Longitude: 21.345308,-157.8066 (est)

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - A helicopter made a hard landing in Nuuanu on Tuesday, prompting an emergency response.

There were no reports of injuries.

The FAA said the pilot of the Hughes 369D (tail number N58251) reported engine failure while performing utility work in the area and made an emergency landing in mountainous terrain.

The incident happened about noon, and firefighters and paramedics responded.

The FAA said the pilot was the only person onboard the chopper.

Hawaiian Electric said the helicopter was transporting utility materials near the Nuuanu Reservoir off Pali Highway when it lost power and made the hard landing.

HECO employees in the area were at a safe distance when the chopper came down.

Shayne Enright, of Honolulu Emergency Medical Services, said the initial call for the incident was a downed aircraft. “Getting that call gets your heart racing,” she said.

“Everyone was getting to the scene, fire, EMS, police. Fortunately, we got news pretty quickly that there was only one person on board ― the pilot ― and that the pilot was in good shape.”

She said the chopper had earlier had workers in the area on board.

“Thankfully, none of those workers were onboard at the time” of the hard landing, she said.


Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Honolulu, Hawaii

Rotorcraft experienced engine issues and landed in a field - Kahului, Hawaii. 

Date: 13-OCT-20
Time: 23:50:00Z
Regis#: N58251
Aircraft Make: HUGHES
Aircraft Model: 369
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: UNKNOWN (UNK)
Aircraft Operator: WINDWARD AVIATION
City: KAHULUI
State: HAWAII

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