Hughes 369 N105JL

Summary

On 17 August 2018 at about 17:50 local time, a Hughes 369 registered N105JL, operated by Western Helicopters Inc, was involved in an accident near Riverside, California, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

17 August 2018 at 17:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Riverside, California, United States

Nearest airport

Riverside Municiapal Airport (RAL)

Coordinates

33.9308, -117.4475

Aircraft

Hughes 369

Registration

N105JL

Category

Helicopter

Year built

1980

Engines

1

Operator

Western Helicopters Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Riverside → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR18LA226

1 person was seriously injured.

The instructor’s delayed remedial action to an excessive descent rate during a simulated autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot receiving instruction was performing a full-touchdown, 180° autorotation when the instructor noted that the helicopter was going to be short of the intended landing zone and advanced the throttle to initiate a power recovery. The helicopter continued to descend and landed hard and rolled over, resulting in substantial damage. The instructor reported no mechanical malfunctions with the helicopter or engine that would have precluded normal operation. It is likely that the instructor’s delayed response to the helicopter’s excessive rate of descent resulted in the hard landing. After egressing the helicopter, the instructor noted that the pilot receiving instruction had been ejected from the helicopter during the accident sequence. Examination of the restraint systems revealed that the cotter pins for the hook-end fitting that attached to the airframe seat belt fittings had not been installed. The centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the helicopter during the accident sequence was likely sufficient for the hook-end fitting, void of the cotter pin, to separate from the seat belt fitting, which then resulted in the student being ejected from the helicopter. As a result of the accident, the manufacturer issued a mandatory service bulletin requiring the installation of cotter pins in the seat belt assemblies.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.