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| Date: | Wednesday 17 December 2003 |
| Time: | 16:30 LT |
| Type: |  Hughes 369D |
| Owner/operator: | Pacific Helicopter Tours, Inc. |
| Registration: | N1113L |
| MSN: | 110-0837D |
| Year of manufacture: | 1980 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 13654 hours |
| Engine model: | Allison 250-C20B |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Wahiawa, Oahu, HI -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Unknown |
| Nature: | Unknown |
| Departure airport: | Wahiawa-Wheeler AFB, HI (HHI/PHHI) |
| (KHHI) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The commercial helicopter pilot was transporting a sling load of ladders taped together and suspended by a 15-foot line. During the flight, the load shifted, and a ladder struck the tail rotor. The tail rotor separated from the helicopter, and the pilot initiated an emergency autorotation. The helicopter landed at an off-airport site and rolled onto its side. According to the operator's FAA-approved flight manual for external loads, the pilot has the sole responsibility to ensure that the load is properly rigged.
Probable Cause: The pilot's failure to properly secure the external sling load, which allowed the load to shift, and subsequently strike and remove the tail rotor.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB LAX04LA116
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 8 December 1990 | N1113L | Pacific Helicopter Tours Inc | 1 | Haleakla National Park, Hawaii | |
sub |
| Fuel starvation | ||||||
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 12-Oct-2022 15:46 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
| 15-Jun-2023 04:55 | Ron Averes | Updated |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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