McDonnell Douglas 369E N500PH
25 July 2013 · Hilo, Hawaii, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 25 July 2013 at about 23:15 local time, a McDonnell Douglas 369E registered N500PH, operated by Paradise Helicopters, was involved in an accident near Hilo, Hawaii, United States. 5 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.
The record
- Date
- at 23:15
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Hilo, Hawaii, United States
- Nearest airport
- Hilo International Airport (PHTO)
- Coordinates
- 19.7231, -155.0578
- Aircraft
- McDonnell Douglas 369E
- Registration
- N500PH
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Paradise Helicopters
- Operating rule
- Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Hilo → Hilo
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- WPR13CA342
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
Probable cause
A loss of engine power due to the pilot's improper planning and mismanagement of the fuel supply, which resulted in fuel exhaustion.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
During a round trip tour flight, the pilot determined that the fuel state was low, and decided to return to the airport. The flight entered the airport environment and the pilot requested priority handling for a low fuel state. The engine subsequently lost power and the pilot initiated an autorotation to a field at the approach end of the runway. During the landing the helicopter's skid collapsed and the helicopter rolled over on to its right side which resulted in substantial damage. The operator indicated that there were no preimpact malfunctions or failures with the engine or airframe that would have precluded normal operation.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other McDonnell Douglas 369 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 Jul 2013 | McDonnell Douglas 369E | Jackson, Kentucky, United States | U.S. Drug Enforcement Adminstration | Serious injuries | - |
| 25 Jun 2013 | McDonnell Douglas 369E | Casa Grande, Arizona, United States | Pinal County Sheriff's Office | Minor injuries | - |
| 6 Dec 2013 | McDonnell Douglas 369E | Monticello, Utah, United States | Drangonfly Aviation LLC | No injuries | - |
| 12 Aug 2013 | McDonnell Douglas 369E | Burns, Oregon, United States | P J Helicopters | No injuries | - |
| 19 Aug 2014 | McDonnell Douglas 369E | Northport, Alabama, United States | Rotorworks LLC | Fatal | 2 |
| 8 Jun 2014 | McDonnell Douglas 369E | Mesa, Arizona, United States | City of Mesa | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Nov 2013 | Cessna Ector 305A | Mokuleia, Hawaii, United States | Honolulu Soaring Club Inc | Minor injuries | - |
| 12 Sep 2013 | Hughes 369D | Kalalau, Hawaii, United States | Airborne Aviation Inc | Minor injuries | - |
| 17 Jun 2013 | Piper PA-28-181 | Waihee-Waiehu, Hawaii, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 9 May 2013 | Robinson R22 BETA | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | Hawaii Pacific Aviation | Minor injuries | - |
| 12 Dec 2013 | Cessna 208B | Kalaupapa, Hawaii, United States | Makani Kai Air | Fatal | 1 |
| 22 Oct 2013 | Cessna 208 | Wailea, Hawaii, United States | Mokulele Flight Service Inc | No injuries | - |