ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 352043
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| Date: | Tuesday 27 February 2024 |
| Time: | 13:30 |
| Type: |  McDonnell Douglas MD 500E (369E) |
| Owner/operator: | Jack Harter Helicopters Inc |
| Registration: | N633JH |
| MSN: | 0230E |
| Year of manufacture: | 1987 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 5 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Kekaha, HI -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Passenger - Non-Scheduled/charter/Air Taxi |
| Departure airport: | Kauai Island/Lihue Airport, HI (LIH/PHLI) |
| Kauai Island/Lihue Airport, HI (LIH/PHLI) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
On February 27, 2024, about 1330 Hawaii-Aleutian standard time, an MD Helicopter 369E, N633JH, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident on a remote beach about 14 miles north of Kekaha, Hawaii, on the island of Kauai. The pilot and three passengers sustained minor injuries, and one passenger sustained serious injuries. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 sightseeing flight.
According to the pilot, while conducting a doors-off, helicopter sightseeing flight near the northern shoreline on the island of Kauai, the pilot said he initially smelled smoke and he immediately began flying to an area known as Kalalau Beach, which is the operator’s predetermined helicopter emergency landing zone along the prearranged tour route. He reported that very shortly thereafter, he heard a loud “pop”, followed by the engine out aural warning tone. The pilot immediately lowered the collective control and entered an autorotation to land at a nearby smaller, remote beach, known as Honopu Beach, as an emergency landing site. As the helicopter touched down on the sand-covered beach, it rocked forward and nosed down into the sand. The helicopter then rolled to the right and came to rest on its side which resulted in substantial damage to the tail boom, fuselage, and main rotor system.
The helicopter wreckage was subsequently recovered from the remote beach site and transported to a secure location in Lihue, Hawaii. An initial Federal Aviation Administration postaccident examination revealed that the overrunning clutch and engine-to-transmission driveshaft were fractured.
Two investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board's (NTSB) Alaska Regional Office, along with a helicopter aerospace engineer from Washington D.C., responded to Lihue to examine the helicopter wreckage. During the detailed on-scene examination, the investigative team retained various components for additional examination and testing, and results are pending.
In the pilot’s written statement, dated March 7, 2024, he credited the successful, power off emergency approach and landing on the small beach site, to the operators enhanced touchdown autorotation training.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2024/02/28/1-injured-after-tour-helicopter-crashed-remote-kauai-beach/
https://kauainownews.com/2024/02/27/tour-helicopter-crashes-on-remote-kauai-beach-injuring-one-passenger/
https://www.staradvertiser.com/2024/02/27/breaking-news/1-injured-in-kauai-helicopter-crash/
https://kitchener.citynews.ca/2024/02/27/1-person-injured-when-hawaii-tour-helicopter-crashes-on-remote-kauai-beach/
NTSB
https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?NNumberTxt=633JH
https://cdn.plnspttrs.net/10513/n633jh-jack-harter-helicopters-mcdonnell-douglas-369e_PlanespottersNet_648819_9fb81a3b5a_o.jpg (photo)
History of this aircraft
Ex D-HCHS, OE-XXL, N1602N
Location
Media:
Absolutely wild footage, this is a real world engine failure in a MD500 (Think Magnum P.I. helicopter) over Kauai, Hawaii out on a tour flight.
— Thenewarea51 (@thenewarea51) March 6, 2024
You’ll probably have to watch this a few times but the video starts out with the helicopter under power and then the engine sound goes… pic.twitter.com/tFVGhqypzx
Based on a preliminary report, a Jack Harter helicopter with one pilot and four passengers aboard crashed at Honopu Beach.
— Star-Advertiser (@StarAdvertiser) February 28, 2024
More: https://t.co/eJPgQY4wDV
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 28-Feb-2024 07:14 | gerard57 | Added |
| 28-Feb-2024 07:15 | gerard57 | Updated [Country] |
| 28-Feb-2024 07:33 | ASN | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Phase, Nature] |
| 28-Feb-2024 07:36 | Aerossurance | Updated [Aircraft type, Phase, Source, Narrative] |
| 28-Feb-2024 07:37 | Aerossurance | Updated [Source, Embed code] |
| 28-Feb-2024 14:52 | RobertMB | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Damage, Narrative, Category] |
| 28-Feb-2024 15:00 | ASN | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 28-Feb-2024 18:34 | RobertMB | Updated [Source] |
| 06-Mar-2024 19:28 | ASN | Updated [Embed code] |
| 14-Mar-2024 19:12 | Captain Adam | Updated [Time, Location, Source, Embed code, Narrative, Accident report] |
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