Hughes 369D N31PL

Summary

On 20 October 1982 at about 13:30 local time, a Hughes 369D registered N31PL, operated by Evergreen Helicopter, Inc, was involved in an accident near Coaltown, Pennsylvania, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

20 October 1982 at 13:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Coaltown, Pennsylvania, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Hughes 369D

Registration

N31PL

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Evergreen Helicopter, Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Aerial Observation

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Butler → Butler

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC83FGM01

3 people were seriously injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE PATROLLING ALONG THE WEST'SIDE OF A POWER LINE FROM SOUTH TO NORTH. WHILE PATROLLING THE PILOT WAS MAINTAINING AN ALTITUDE OF 75 TO 100 FT AGL AT 20 TO 30 KTS WITH AN 8 TO 10 KT TAIL WIND. HE REPORTED THAT HE WAS DESCENDING DOWN A RIDGE WHEN THE HELICOPTER BEGAN A SLOW YAW TO THE RIGHT. HE STATED THAT FULL LEFT PEDDLE WAS USELESS AND THE HELICOPTER CONTINUED TO YAW TO THE RIGHT. HE REDUCED THE COLLECTIVE TO CONTROL THE RATE OF THE TURN, BUT BEGAN DESCENDING TOWARD THE WIRES. HE THEN INCREASED THE COLLECTIVE AND ADDED RIGHT CYCLIC TO AVOID THE WIRES. AFTER SPINNING 2 OR 3 TIMES, HE REDUCED THE POWER AND COLLECTIVE AND BEGAN AN AUTOROTATIVE LANDING. DURING THE LANDING, THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN HARD IN A WOODED AREA. A POST IMPACT FIRE DESTROYED THE FUSELAGE FROM STATION 164 FORWARD.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.