Accident Hughes 369D N369PB,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 292124
 
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Date:Friday 30 June 2006
Time:16:35 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic H500 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Hughes 369D
Owner/operator:Camera Copters, Inc.
Registration: N369PB
MSN: 480305D
Year of manufacture:1978
Total airframe hrs:3595 hours
Engine model:Allison 250-C20B
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Category:Accident
Location:Moab, Utah -   United States of America
Phase: Unknown
Nature:Unknown
Departure airport:Moab-Canyonlands Field, UT (CNY/KCNY)
Destination airport:
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
The pilot reported that he was maneuvering the helicopter at an altitude of about 200 feet agl conducting filming operations when he heard a loud bang after which the collective control felt "mushy" and "as if there was no positive control." He initiated a precautionary power on autorotative landing. The helicopter touched down on top of a ridgeline and then slid approximately 50 to 75 feet into a gully area, coming to rest in a 40 to 45 degree nose down attitude. During the landing, the main rotor contacted and severed the tail boom. Examination of the helicopter revealed that the collective bungee support bracket was fractured. A service information notice issued by the helicopter's manufacturer on March 7, 1980, called for a one time inspection of the collective bungee support bracket to ensure that thickness of the machine web surface in the aft lug area of the bracket was 0.065 inch or more. Excerpts from the helicopter's maintenance records provided by the pilot indicated that the service information notice was complied with prior to June 25, 1997. Examination of the fractured bracket revealed that the web thickness varied from 0.036 to 0.052 inch, which was below the minimum thickness requirement. Additionally, a hole that would have been drilled in the bracket during compliance with the service information notice was not present, indicating the procedure was not performed.


Probable Cause: The failure of the collective bungee support bracket due to non-compliance with a service information notice, which resulted in the pilot executing a precautionary autorotative landing. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the landing.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: SEA06LA135
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 8 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB SEA06LA135

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
08-Oct-2022 14:45 ASN Update Bot Added

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