Hughes 369D N499SL

Summary

On 7 March 2018 at about 20:00 local time, a Hughes 369D registered N499SL, operated by High Line Helicopters, was involved in an accident near Blair, Wisconsin, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 March 2018 at 20:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Blair, Wisconsin, United States

Coordinates

44.3044, -91.0000

Aircraft

Hughes 369D

Registration

N499SL

Category

Helicopter

Year built

1979

Operator

High Line Helicopters

Operating rule

Part 133: Rotorcraft Ext. Load

Purpose of flight

External Load

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Blair → Blair

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN18LA121

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot’s failure to recognize and compensate for hazards during the external load operation, which led to a collision between a lineman (external load) and a powerline.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot of the helicopter reported that the purpose of the flight was to lift a utility company lineman to a structure to perform work in conjunction with a new powerline project. While transporting the lineman to the structure using a long line, the worker contacted an existing, live powerline and was seriously injured. The weather conditions at the time of the accident included 10 miles visibility and no precipitation. The pilot reported that he could not see the powerline from his perspective until it was too late to make a course change. The pilot recommended that better recognition of hazards and obstructions may have prevented the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.