Hughes 369E N369ET

Summary

On 8 January 2002 at about 22:30 local time, a Hughes 369E registered N369ET was involved in an accident near Grand Coulee, Washington, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 January 2002 at 22:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Grand Coulee, Washington, United States

Coordinates

48.2833, -118.6842

Aircraft

Hughes 369E

Registration

N369ET

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Gifford → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA02LA024

Nobody was injured.

The net gunner's improper decision to fire the net gun at an angle that allowed the net to become entangled in the main rotor system. A factor was foreign object damage to the main rotor blades.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that the crew was attempting to capture and collar a live deer with a net gun at the time of the accident. The pilot reported that the helicopter was not in position to fire at the deer when the gunner fired the net gun. The net became tangled in the main rotor blades, and the blades sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no prior mechanical malfunction or failure of the helicopter at the time of the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.