Hughes 369D N58425

Summary

On 12 August 1992 at about 23:10 local time, a Hughes 369D registered N58425, operated by Colorado Helicopters, Inc., was involved in an accident near Maxwell, California, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 August 1992 at 23:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Maxwell, California, United States

Coordinates

39.3093, -122.1698

Aircraft

Hughes 369D

Registration

N58425

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Colorado Helicopters, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 133: Rotorcraft Ext. Load

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX92GA347

1 person died.

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AN ADEQUATE VISUAL OUTLOOK, AND FAILURE OF THE COMPANY TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE TRAINING. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: INADEQUATE COMPANY SUPERVISION DURING THE OPERATION, AND INADEQUATE SURVEILLANCE BY THE FAA WHICH FAILED TO DETECT THE INADEQUATE TRAINING OF THE PILOT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH A POWERLINE TRANSMISSION TOWER WHILE TOWING CABLE ATTACHED BY MEANS OF A CARGO HOOK. THE HELICOPTER WAS MOVING LATERALLY TOWARD THE TOWER WHEN IT HIT THE TOWER WITH THE M/R BLADES. THE BLADE TIP WEIGHT SEPARATED AND PENETRATED THE TAIL BOOM IN TWO PLACES, DAMAGING THE T/R DRIVE SHAFT. THE HELICOPTER SPUN TWICE TO THE RIGHT IN A SLOW DESCENT TETHERED BY THE STEEL CABLE. DURING THE SECOND TURN, PARTS OF THE T/R SEPARATED. WITNESSES DID NOT OBSERVE THE CABLE BEING JETTISONED. THE PILOT WAS NEWLY HIRED, AND DID NOT HAVE ANY PRIOR CLASS C EXTERNAL LOAD EXPERIENCE. HE HAD RECEIVED TRAINING BY THE COMPANY CHIEF PILOT, WHO THEN LEFT THE COMPANY 3 DAYS AFTER THE PILOT WAS HIRED, LEAVING THE PILOT TO WORK ALONE. THE FAA OFFICE HOLDING THE OPERATOR'S CERTIFICATE HAD BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE CHIEF PILOT'S DEPARTURE. THE OFFICE DID NOT, NOR WAS IT REQUIRED TO, NOTIFY THE LOCAL FAA DISTRICT OFFICE OF THE OPERATOR'S EXTERNAL LOAD OPERATIONS WITHIN THAT OFFICE'S GEOGRAPHIC RESPONSIBILITY.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.