HUGHES 369D near Corning, NY — 2012-11-15
- Date
- 2012-11-15
- Location
- Corning, NY, USA
- Airport
- ELM
- Aircraft
- HUGHES 369D
- Registration
- N369AW
- Category
- Helicopter
- Highest injury
- Fatal
- Fatalities
- 2
- Phase of flight
- Approach
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate altitude while conducting a power line aerial observation flight, which resulted in an in-flight collision with wires. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s lack of total experience in the type of operation.
Contributing factors
Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of total experience in the type of operation.
NTSB narrative
The helicopter was flying west down a hill over power lines that the pilot was inspecting when it struck the top of the power lines that were perpendicular to its flightpath. The tail rotor assembly separated, and the helicopter impacted the ground and came to rest inverted. Postaccident examination of the helicopter did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation; however, most of the wreckage sustained extensive thermal- and impact-related damage. The pilot was hired about 3 weeks before the accident. He had no prior power line patrol experience, but he had completed a wire strike avoidance training module about 2 weeks before the accident. The accident occurred during the pilot's second work day of flying power line observation flights. After the accident, the operator instituted a policy requiring that all newly hired pilots obtain 100 flight hours of power line patrol-related flight experience with company crewmembers before being assigned an operation that would require flying with noncompany observers.
Analysis
- Primary failure mode
- Controlled flight into terrain
- First missed decision gate
- Pilot could have avoided flying below the highest tower and power lines.
NTSB coding
Evidence available
- Photos
- 25 docket documents
Docket documents25
- NTSB Party Guidance and Certification Formform
- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1form
- Retention / Release of Wreckage Formform
- Witness Statementsinterview
- ELM Weather Observationsother
- GPS 17 - Attachment 1 - Tabular Data (CSV) (Garmin GPSMAP 496)other
- Haverfield Aviation Post-Accident Actionsother
- Helicopter Accident/Incident Supplmental Checklistother
- Maintenance Record (excerpts)other
- Pilot Experience and Training Records (excerpts)other
- Photograph # 1 – Aerial View of accident site (provided by FAA)photos
- Photograph # 10 – View of wire strike damage observed on forward skidphotos
- Photograph # 11 – View of engine after removal from fuselagephotos
- Photograph # 12 – View of engine compressor during disasemblyphotos
- Photograph # 2 – View of helicopter as it came to rest (provided by FAA)photos
- Photograph # 3 – Overview of wreckage prior to examination at recovery facilityphotos
- Photograph # 4 – Close-up view of main wreckage prior to examination at recovery facilityphotos
- Photograph # 5 – View of wreckage during examination at recovery facilityphotos
- Photograph # 6 – View of tailboom and tail rotor assembly during examination at recovery facilityphotos
- Photograph # 7 – View of main rotor blades during examination at recovery facilityphotos
- Photograph # 8 – Close-up view of skid assemblyphotos
- Photograph # 9 – View of wire strike damage observed on skid strutphotos
- FAA Forensic Toxicology Fatal Accident Report - Passengerreport
- FAA Forensic Toxicology Fatal Accident Report - Pilotreport
- GPS 17 - Specialist's Factual Report (Garmin GPSMAP 496)report
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