Pilot Debrief

HUGHES 369D near Villa Grove, CO — 2017-08-10

Final reportCEN17LA314
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Date
2017-08-10
Location
Villa Grove, CO, USA
Aircraft
HUGHES 369D
Registration
N58424
Category
Helicopter
Highest injury
Serious
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Maneuvering

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain main rotor clearance from a power line tower during low-level maneuvering.

NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot was conducting external load operations in the helicopter to assist power line construction. While maneuvering the helicopter away from a tower at low altitude, the pilot flew the helicopter to the right while planning on backing up at the same time. The helicopter's speed to the right was faster than he had planned. Subsequently, the helicopter's main rotor hit a tower before it came into the pilot's view, and the helicopter then impacted terrain. The pilot reported that the helicopter did not have any mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Given the pilot's statement, it is likely that he was not adequately monitoring the environment during low-level maneuvering among power line towers and failed to see a tower before the main rotors hit it.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have avoided flying too close to the angle tower.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 1 docket document
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents1

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