Hughes 369D N622PB

Summary

On 18 August 2008 at about 23:30 local time, a Hughes 369D registered N622PB, operated by United States Forest Service, was involved in an accident near Bonners Ferry, Idaho, United States. 4 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 August 2008 at 23:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Bonners Ferry, Idaho, United States

Coordinates

48.8583, -116.5083

Aircraft

Hughes 369D

Registration

N622PB

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

United States Forest Service

Operating rule

Public Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Bonners Ferry → Bonners Ferry

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA08TA188

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadequate preflight planning for the takeoff and the helicopter loading that exceeded the lift performance capability of the helicopter.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was assigned to pick up three firefighters and their gear from a mountain site and he completed load calculations prior to the flight. The pilot had planned for hover in ground effect performance, although the terrain in the area was sloped and contained vegetation and rocks. As he flew into the area, the pilot assessed the winds and noted that they were coming from the south from 5 to 7 knots. He landed into the wind, picked up the passengers, and stabilized the helicopter in a 3 to 4-foot hover to verify the power. He departed into the wind and began a slow steady climb to clear trees. The helicopter then began to descend toward the trees. The pilot applied additional power but could not stop the descent. He then force-landed the helicopter on downed trees and stumps. During the accident sequence, the tail rotor drive shaft sheared. After exiting the helicopter, the pilot noted that the winds had shifted. The passengers said the winds had been shifting prior to the pilot's arrival. There were no mechanical malfunctions reported with the helicopter. Review of the pilot’s duty time showed that he had worked in excess of the contract requirements, and may have been fatigued. Post accident review of the loaded weight of the helicopter revealed that it exceeded the load limits for the operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.