Hughes 369D N64MK
9 July 1996 · Honolulu, Hawaii, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 9 July 1996 at about 02:04 local time, a Hughes 369D registered N64MK was involved in an accident near Honolulu, Hawaii, United States. 7 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 02:04
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
- Coordinates
- 21.2996, -157.8604
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369D
- Registration
- N64MK
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Other Work Use
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- LAX96LA267
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
Probable cause
the failure of both pilots to maintain adequate clearance from each other while in formation flight.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The Hughes helicopter, N64MK, and the Mooney airplane, N5801N, had departed on a formation flight to film a movie. Cameramen were in both aircraft, and an actress was in the Mooney's right front seat. By prior arrangements, the Mooney was the lead aircraft and was flown by its left seated airline transport pilot. A commercial certificated pilot was flying the Hughes, also from the left seat. The pilots were in radio contact with each other. Videotape taken from both aircraft was reviewed. While cruising past Diamond Head at 100 knots and 1,000 feet above sea level, the Hughes decreased its distance from the Mooney's right wing, joined up in a tight side-by-side formation, and at times was several feet higher, lower, in front of, and behind the Mooney. The Mooney pilot reported that she observed the Hughes. Seconds prior to the Hughes' main rotor blades impacting and severing the outer 3 feet of the Mooney's right wing, the Mooney pilot diverted her attention away from the Hughes. The Mooney pilot looked outside her left windshield and pointed out to the actress the presence of a shoreline hotel. After the collision, the Mooney landed without further mishap. The Hughes autorotated into the ocean and sank.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Aircraft involved
| Aircraft | Registration | Operator | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hughes 369D 369D | N64MK | - | Destroyed |
| Mooney M20J M20J | N5801N | - | Substantial |
Other Hughes 369 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Apr 1996 | Hughes 369D | Yerington, Nevada, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 26 Jun 1996 | Hughes 369D | Ketchikan, Alaska, United States | U.s. Forest Service | No injuries | - |
| 16 Nov 1996 | Hughes 369D | Forks, Washington, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 19 Oct 1996 | Hughes 369D | Watkins, Colorado, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 15 Oct 1996 | Hughes 369E | Hesston, Kansas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 28 Oct 1996 | Hughes 369 | Vestaburg, Michigan, United States | Ironrange Aviation | Fatal | 1 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Oct 1996 | Grumman American AA-1B | Kona, Hawaii, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 13 Nov 1996 | McDonnell Douglas 369D | Hana, Hawaii, United States | Alika Aviation | No injuries | - |
| 29 Nov 1996 | Bell 206B | McGregor Point, Hawaii, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 7 Jul 1996 | Piper PA-28-181 | Lanai, Hawaii, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 29 Jan 1996 | Cessna 402B | Kamuela, Hawaii, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 8 Aug 1996 | Douglas DC-9-51 | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | - | No injuries | - |