Hughes 369D N611WA

Summary

On 7 July 2006 at about 19:10 local time, a Hughes 369D registered N611WA was involved in an accident near Kihei, Hawaii, United States. 3 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

7 July 2006 at 19:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Kihei, Hawaii, United States

Coordinates

20.7678, -156.3928

Aircraft

Hughes 369D

Registration

N611WA

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

Kahului → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX06CA227

Nobody was injured.

the pilot's failure to maintain an adequate clearance from obstructions, which led to a main rotor blade strike.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The helicopter's main rotor blades struck a tree while in a hover. The purpose of the flight was to conduct animal control. Once the animal had been identified and neutralized, the pilot was directed to remove the animal. He landed the helicopter near the animal, which was in a confined area with rolling terrain, thick low trees, high grass, and lava rock outcroppings. About 15 feet above the ground, the main rotor blades contacted a tree off to the right rear side of the helicopter. The pilot repositioned the helicopter about 100 feet to another landing site and landed normally. He reported the main rotor "blades strike" to the company and waited for the Director of Maintenance (DOM) to arrive and assess the damage to the main rotor blades. The DOM determined that the helicopter could be flown back to home base. After the helicopter returned to base, maintenance personnel removed and inspected the main rotor blades. All five of the main rotor blades sustained substantial structural damage. Maintenance personnel referenced the maintenance manual and determined that the dents/depressions in the main rotor blades were beyond serviceable limits and could not be repaired.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.