Accident Hughes 369D N114HD,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 291921
 
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Date:Saturday 12 August 2006
Time:15:45 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic H500 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Hughes 369D
Owner/operator:Windwood Aviation Inc
Registration: N114HD
MSN: 280261D
Year of manufacture:1978
Total airframe hrs:15168 hours
Engine model:Allison 250-C20
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Category:Accident
Location:Lahaina, Maui, HI -   United States of America
Phase: Unknown
Nature:Fire fighting
Departure airport:Kahului Airport, HI (OGG/PHOG)
Destination airport:Kahului Airport, HI (OGG/PHOG)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
The pilot landed in a flat grass covered field for the purpose of removing a long line and bambi bucket used in firefighting operations. Following touchdown, the pilot rolled the throttle to flight idle, and applied the frictions for the cyclic and collective. The wind conditions at the time were from 060 degrees at 19 knots gusting to 25 knots. After the pilot exited the helicopter, a gust of wind caught the unattended rotor disk, and tilted it, causing the helicopter to tilt rearward on its skids. The pilot returned to the controls just as the tail rotor made contact with the ground. He leveled the helicopter, brought the engine back to flight idle, and initiated a hover. The pilot stated that after he performed several pedal turns and noticed no control hindrance, he elected to return to Kahului. The helicopter sustained substantial damage consisting of damaged tail rotor blades and a bent and twisted tail rotor system drive shaft.

Probable Cause: the pilot's failure to shut down the engine prior to exiting the helicopter resulting in the tail rotor contacting the ground. A contributing factor was the gusting wind conditions present at the accident site.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: LAX06TA259
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year and 6 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB LAX06TA259

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
08-Oct-2022 06:48 ASN Update Bot Added
15-Jun-2023 05:11 Ron Averes Updated

Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description

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