Hughes 369D N611WA

Summary

On 16 May 2005 at about 21:45 local time, a Hughes 369D registered N611WA was involved in an accident near Kihei, Hawaii, United States. 4 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

16 May 2005 at 21:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Kihei, Hawaii, United States

Coordinates

20.7833, -156.5333

Aircraft

Hughes 369D

Registration

N611WA

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Kahului → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX05LA176

Nobody was injured.

the partial loss of engine power due to fuel contamination. The fuel contamination was due to the failure of the maintenance personnel to ensure that the helicopter's fuel system had been thoroughly cleaned after a known previous contamination event, and the failure of company line personnel to follow the daily quality assurance checks on the company's remote based fuel supply.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot performed an autorotation to a rocky shoreline following a partial loss of engine power during cruise flight. The helicopter's tail rotor blades impacted the ground when the helicopter slid aft on the slippery rocks following a successful landing. Post accident examination of the helicopter revealed the fuel system had been contaminated. Two days prior to the accident flight, the helicopter was examined after a fuel sample was found contaminated; however, the entire fuel system, specifically, the fuel tank, was not examined and cleaned. According to the manufacturer, if the helicopter experiences a fuel contamination, the corrective action is to "inspect and clean the fuel cell and start pump inlet screens if large amounts of foreign material are found in the engine driven fuel pump filter (or the optional airframe fuel filter if installed)." The accident helicopter was not equipped with the optional airframe fuel filter. Following the accident, the fuel tank cells were examined and contamination was noted in the tank and the fuel pump inlet screen and outlet. The contaminated fuel was introduced to the fuel system 2 days prior to the accident. The fuel came from a remotely located fuel tank that had a broken fuel tank cover, which allowed water and contaminants to enter the tank. The person who fueled the helicopter from the contaminated tank was not trained in the company's policy to conduct a daily quality assurance check, and had not sumped the tank, filters, and hoses.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.