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| Date: | Sunday 20 May 2018 |
| Time: | 10:49 |
| Type: |  Hughes 369D |
| Owner/operator: | Air2, Llc |
| Registration: | N362JS |
| MSN: | 300676D |
| Year of manufacture: | 1980 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 17963 hours |
| Engine model: | Rolls Royce 250-C20B |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 3 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Boutte, LA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | External load operation |
| Departure airport: | Reserve, LA (APS) |
| Luling, LA | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The commercial pilot and two crewmembers of the helicopter were performing external load operations to repair high-tension power line structures. The pilot reported that, during the fourth repair of the flight, he was hovering the helicopter next to the power line structure when he noticed a "rumbling" and the helicopter descending. The helicopter impacted the ground beneath the structure, seriously injuring one of the two crewmembers, while the second crewmember sustained fatal injuries.
Examination of the helicopter revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The power line structure displayed paint transfer consistent in color with that of the helicopter. There was also a puncture hole about 6 inches in length under the upper horizontal plate of the structure, consistent with the dimensions of a main rotor blade. Therefore, it is likely that the pilot failed to maintain clearance from the power line structure while hovering, resulting in contact with the structure.
Probable Cause: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the powerline structure while hovering, which resulted in an inadvertent collision with the structure and an uncontrolled descent into terrain.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
Location
Media:
MD 369 Helicopter crash kills one, injures two, Boutte, LA, USA.https://t.co/lLUxmpY65C pic.twitter.com/JOhNc1jPXS
— Planes Of Legend (@PlanesOfLegend) 21 mai 2018
Confirmed: one dead, two hurt in Boutte helicopter crash. Officials are using airboats to get to the crash site. pic.twitter.com/KUvR3vt8ET
— Paul Dudley (@Pauldudleynews) 20 mai 2018
Capt. Patrick Yoes with St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office with the latest on a helicopter crash in Boutte. 2 hurt, 1 missing. pic.twitter.com/Ol21CQBANk
— Paul Dudley (@Pauldudleynews) 20 mai 2018
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 20-May-2018 19:04 | gerard57 | Added |
| 20-May-2018 19:45 | gerard57 | Updated [Aircraft type, Total occupants, Source, ] |
| 20-May-2018 19:48 | gerard57 | Updated [Narrative, ] |
| 20-May-2018 20:00 | Anon. | Updated [Operator, Source, ] |
| 20-May-2018 20:08 | Anon. | Updated [Aircraft type, Source, ] |
| 20-May-2018 20:10 | harro | Updated [Aircraft type, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Location, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 20-May-2018 20:16 | Aerossurance | Updated [Aircraft type, Phase, Nature, Narrative, ] |
| 20-May-2018 20:25 | Aerossurance | Updated [Narrative, ] |
| 20-May-2018 20:47 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Embed code, ] |
| 20-May-2018 20:50 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Time, Embed code, ] |
| 21-May-2018 05:26 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Source, Embed code, ] |
| 21-May-2018 06:10 | Aerossurance | Updated [Operator, Source, Embed code, Narrative, ] |
| 03-Nov-2018 07:52 | harro | Updated [Aircraft type, ] |
| 23-Apr-2020 09:36 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Operator, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative, Accident report, ] |
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