Hughes 369D accident near Milolii, HI
On February 21, 1997, a Hughes 369D (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Milolii, HI. 3 people were seriously injured. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- February 21, 1997
- Place
- Milolii, HI
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369D · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 0 fatal, 3 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 19.420°N, 155.909°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001208X07414
Official records · LAX97FA107
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On February 21, 1997, about 0909 hours Hawaiian standard time, a Hughes HU-369-D, N505RM, operated by Manuiwa Airways, Inc., d.b.a. Volcano Hili-Tours, experienced the loss of its tail rotor assembly during cruise flight. The flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 135. The helicopter was substantially damaged during the pilot's forced landing on rough terrain about 5 miles southeast of Milolii, Hawaii. The commercial pilot and two passengers were seriously injured. The fourth passenger received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a company VFR flight plan was filed. The local flight originated from a remote area approximately 1.4 miles north of the crash site about 0850. The purpose of the flight was to transport personnel from the State of Hawaii's Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife, to a work site within the Manuka Forest Reserve, in the South Kona District of the island of Hawaii. The personnel had been directed to spray fountain grass. The passengers and their equipment boarded the helicopter, and the flight commenced. The pilot did not report that anything unusual occurred until after he leveled off at 90 knots airspeed and 400 feet mean sea level. The pilot indicated that about 1 minute after taking off he heard a loud bang, and immediately thereafter he felt a slight shudder in the tail rotor pedals. When he applied pressure to the tail rotor pedals there was no response. Seconds later the helicopter entered a steep left nose tuck attitude. The pilot reported that he regained contr
Probable cause
failure of the tail rotor for undetermined reason(s), resulting in tail rotor imbalance, separation of the tail rotor, and an autorotative landing on rough terrain with high vegetation. The lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing was a related factor.
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Browse: Hawaii · Hughes aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
