Hughes 369D N8631F

Summary

On 19 October 1984 at about 14:59 local time, a Hughes 369D registered N8631F, operated by Whirlwind Helicopters, was involved in an accident near St.thomas. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

19 October 1984 at 14:59

Classification

Accident

Location

St.thomas

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Hughes 369D

Registration

N8631F

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Whirlwind Helicopters

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

St.thomas → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA85FA012

3 people died.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE ACFT WAS FLYING AT 50 FEET ABOVE THE WATER AT 15 KNOTS AIRSPEED PHOTOGRAPHING A SAIL BOAT. THE ACFT THEN CLIMBED TO 150 FEET AND DRIFTED LEFT OVER THE TOP OF THE BOAT. AT THIS POINT WITNESSES REPORTED HEARING A LOUD POP AND SEEING A PUFF OF BLACK SMOKE COME FROM THE ENGINE EXHAUST. ENGINE NOISE CEASED AND THE ACFT ROLLED APPROX 90 DEGREES ONTO ITS LEFT SIDE AND DESCENDED INTO THE WATER. POST CRASH INSPECTION OF THE ACFT REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRECRASH MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE STRUCTURE, ROTOR HEAD, ROTOR BLADES, OR MAIN ROTOR GEAR BOX. INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE AND ENGINE COMPONENTS REVEALED NO EVIDENCE TO INDICATE PRECRASH MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. WITNESSES REPORTED THEY SAW NO COMPONENTS FALL FROM THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO THE CRASH.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.