Hughes 369FF N530R
14 May 2008 · Kekaha, Hawaii, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 14 May 2008 at about 21:40 local time, a Hughes 369FF registered N530R, operated by Smoky Mountain Helicopters, was involved in an accident near Kekaha, Hawaii, United States. One person was 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.
The record
- Date
- at 21:40
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Kekaha, Hawaii, United States
- Coordinates
- 22.0819, -158.7594
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369FF
- Registration
- N530R
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Smoky Mountain Helicopters
- Operating rule
- Part 133: Rotorcraft Ext. Load
- Purpose of flight
- External Load
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Kekaha → Hanapepe
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- LAX08LA139
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The helicopter pilot reported that he was conducting long-line operations when he heard a loud "popping" sound and moments later the helicopter's engine lost power. The pilot released the long line with its cargo and performed an autorotation to the ground. The helicopter landed hard and the main rotor blades severed the tail boom. Postaccident examination of the helicopter revealed no discrepancies that would have prevented normal engine operation. The engine was removed from the helicopter, placed in an engine test cell, and started. It was taken through a series of timed accelerations and decelerations where it performed to production test standards. The reason for the loss of engine power was not determined.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Hughes 369 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Dec 2008 | Hughes 369 | Honiara, Solomon Islands | Oceanside Helicopters Inc. | Fatal | 1 |
| 6 Aug 2008 | Hughes 369D | Alice Arm, Canada | Prism Helicopter Inc | Fatal | 3 |
| 30 Oct 2008 | Hughes 369D | Carroll Township, Pennsylvania, United States | Aerial Solutions, Inc. | Serious injuries | - |
| 25 Nov 2008 | Hughes 369HS | Fillmore, Utah, United States | Skyhawk Helicopter Service, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 18 Aug 2008 | Hughes 369D | Bonners Ferry, Idaho, United States | United States Forest Service | No injuries | - |
| 19 Jul 2008 | Hughes 369D | Price, Utah, United States | BBP Air LLC | Fatal | 3 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 Jul 2008 | Cessna 172 | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | Flight School Hawaii, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 19 Dec 2008 | Piper PA-28-140 | Kapolei, Hawaii, United States | Offshore Flight School Inc | Serious injuries | - |
| 22 Mar 2008 | Piper PA32-301FT | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | Makena Aviation LLC | No injuries | - |
| 14 Jan 2008 | Beechcraft 1900C | Lihue, Hawaii, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 17 Jun 2008 | Cessna 172M | Pahala, Hawaii, United States | Above It All, Inc. | Fatal | 3 |
| 28 Dec 2008 | MD Helicopters MD 900 | Kamuela, Hawaii, United States | Vulcan Aircraft Inc | No injuries | - |