NTSB Prelim: Hughes 369 | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-07.07.25

Airborne-NextGen-07.08.25

AirborneUnlimited-07.09.25

Airborne-FlightTraining-07.10.25

AirborneUnlimited-07.11.25

Sun, Nov 22, 2020

NTSB Prelim: Hughes 369

At The Time Of The Accident He Was Transporting A Large Toolbox At The End Of A 100-Foot External Load Line

Location: Honolulu, HI Accident Number: ANC21LA003
Date & Time: October 27, 2020, 12:12 Local Registration: N58251
Aircraft: Hughes 369 Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under:

On October 27, 2020, about 1133 Hawaiian standard time, a Hughes 369D, helicopter, N58251, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Honolulu, Hawaii. The pilot was not injured. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 133 external load flight.

The pilot reported that the helicopter was being used to support powerline maintenance operations, by transporting personnel and equipment to remote sites along the powerline route. He said that at the time of the accident he was transporting a large toolbox at the end of a 100-foot external load line that was attached to the helicopter’s belly-mounted cargo hook. He said that as he brought the helicopter to a stable hover over the pickup site and began to lift the external load, he heard the main rotor speed decrease, followed by the sound of the engine out horn, and the engine out light illuminated on the annunciator panel. The pilot said he jettisoned the load, lowered the collective, and tried to maneuver the helicopter downhill to regain main rotor RPM, but it continued to decay.

During the descent, the main rotor blades struck several treetops, and the helicopter subsequently settled into the thick treetop canopy, nose down. The pilot said that after the impact, the engine was still operating, and he pulled the fuel shut-off and closed the throttle to shut down the engine.

The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor drive system, tail boom and fuselage. The helicopter was equipped with a turbo-shaft Rolls-Royce M250-C20B engine. The helicopter has been recovered and a detailed examination is pending.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov

Advertisement

More News

NTSB Final Report: Aviat A1

Airplane Bounced About 3 Ft Then Touched Back Down And Then, With No Brakes Applied, The Airplane Began Veering To The Left Analysis: The pilot entered the airport traffic pattern >[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (07.08.25)

Aero Linx: British Microlight Aircraft Association (BMAA) The primary focus within all aviation activity is SAFETY. In all aspects of our sport SAFETY must come first, whether it b>[...]

Classic Aero-TV: Fly Corvair’s Reliable Engine Alternative

From SnF25 (YouTube Edition): William Wynne Builds Practical Aircraft Engines on the Corvair Platform Seeking an affordable alternative to the traditional aircraft engine options, >[...]

ANN FAQ: Contributing To Aero-TV

How To Get A Story On Aero-TV News/Feature Programming How do I submit a story idea or lead to Aero-TV? If you would like to submit a story idea or lead, please contact Jim Campbel>[...]

Classic Aero-TV: CiES Fuel-Quantity and e-Throttle Systems Praised

From 2023 (YouTube Edition): Bridge of CiES CiES Inc. is a Bend, Oregon-based designer and manufacturer of modular embedded aircraft systems and sensors. The company’s fuel-l>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2025 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC