Hughes 369D N220AL

Summary

On 29 October 2002 at about 19:30 local time, a Hughes 369D registered N220AL was involved in an accident near Kaaawa, Oahu, Hawaii, United States. 3 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 October 2002 at 19:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Kaaawa, Oahu, Hawaii, United States

Coordinates

21.5178, -157.9025

Aircraft

Hughes 369D

Registration

N220AL

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Kahuku → Kaaawa, Oahu

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX03LA017

2 people were seriously injured.

Dynamic rollover during an attempted takeoff, due to the combined effects of the soft sloping terrain and the pilot's failure to redistribute the passengers to a more favorable lateral CG condition.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The helicopter rolled over during an attempted takeoff from a sloping landing zone on a ridgeline composed of soft soil. The pilot's mission was to transport passengers to the remote landing site on top of a ridge. Upon arrival, the pilot performed a reconnaissance of the area and landed on a part of the ridge that sloped to the right. The pilot reported that the wind was strong and gusty, but was most directly on the nose of the helicopter. The pilot said he maintained full flight rotor rpm and completely lowered the collective pitch, then the helicopter settled right skid downslope. He noted that the ground was soft. One of the passengers, who was seated directly behind the pilot, disembarked, which left two passengers on the right side of the helicopter. Then the pilot applied collective pitch, and the helicopter began to roll right. The pilot decreased the collective and applied left cyclic, but this had no effect. The helicopter rolled over and slid down the steep incline. A search and rescue pilot who landed at the landing zone a short time after the accident reported that the wind speed was about 25 knots, and it was gusting to 30 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.