Hughes 369D N102SU

Summary

On 18 March 2024 at about 17:20 local time, a Hughes 369D registered N102SU was involved in an accident near Belleville, West Virginia, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 March 2024 at 17:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Belleville, West Virginia, United States

Coordinates

39.1323, -81.6763

Aircraft

Hughes 369D

Registration

N102SU

Category

Helicopter

Year built

1980

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 133: Rotorcraft Ext. Load

Purpose of flight

External Load

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Millwood → Belleville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA24LA148

1 person was seriously injured.

The ingestion of foreign object debris into the engine, which resulted in a sudden loss of engine power and a subsequent collision with trees and terrain during the forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was conducting low-altitude, external-load tree-trimming operations when he heard a loud “boom,” and the helicopter entered a rapid descent. He maneuvered toward smaller trees to minimize the impact and briefly lowered the collective to preserve rotor rpm before raising it just before ground contact. The helicopter contacted trees and branches during the descent, becoming inverted after impacting the ground. The tail boom separated from the fuselage, and the main rotor blades were severely damaged and scattered throughout the area, as were various rotor head components. Postaccident examination of the drivetrain, clutch, and associated components revealed no evidence of pre-impact mechanical failure or malfunction. Examination of the engine revealed severe damage to the compressor inlet and rotor assembly, with multiple fractured blades from stages 1 through 5, consistent with pre-impact hard-body ingestion. Metallurgical analysis found no evidence of fatigue or manufacturing defects, and all other engine systems and components were free of pre-impact anomalies. Although the source of the ingested material could not be determined, the low-altitude operating environment near trees made it likely that debris from the trimming operation was ingested into the engine, resulting in a sudden loss of power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.