Hughes 369D N812CE

Summary

On 6 September 2006 at about 20:55 local time, a Hughes 369D registered N812CE, operated by Southern California Edison Company, was involved in an accident near Somis, California, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

6 September 2006 at 20:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Somis, California, United States

Coordinates

33.6667, -119.0103

Aircraft

Hughes 369D

Registration

N812CE

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Southern California Edison Company

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Aerial Observation

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Camarillo → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX06LA288

2 people died.

The pilot's inadequate visual lookout, which resulted in a collision with wires.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The utility company pilot and a power line inspector departed for an aerial observation patrol flight of company power lines. A ground-based witness, who was located north of the accident site, reported observing the helicopter fly into the power lines. The witness did not indicate that the helicopter took any evasive action prior to the collision. The helicopter came to rest about 200 feet north of the two severed power lines. The impacted power lines had been suspended from towers that were about 1,763 feet apart and had an east-to-west orientation. The helicopter's northerly impact course appeared nearly perpendicular to the orientation of the power lines, which were about 150 feet above ground level at the point of impact.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.