Hughes 369D accident near Ackerly, TX
On August 5, 2013, a Hughes 369D (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Ackerly, TX. 2 people died.
- Date
- August 5, 2013
- Place
- Ackerly, TX
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369D · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- —
- Position
- 32.481°N, 101.717°W
- NTSB ID
- 20130805X31941
Official records · CEN13LA461
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
On August 5, 2013, at 0915 central daylight time, a Hughes model 369D helicopter, N8688F, was not damaged when its external cargo long-line was severed after colliding with a shield wire suspended between power transmission towers near Ackerly, Texas. The two linemen who were being hoisted on the long-line were fatally injured after falling about 200 feet to the ground after the collision. The helicopter was registered to and operated by Haverfield Aviation Inc., under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 133 as an external load flight, without a flight plan. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight, which was operating from a landing zone situated near the accident site.According to the operator, the helicopter was equipped with a 100-foot long external cargo long-line that was being used to hoist linemen onto power transmission towers. Shortly after departure, as the helicopter was climbing toward the transmission tower, the long-line collided with a shield wire suspended between transmission towers. The operator reported that the long-line severed about 5 feet above the linemen. The pilot returned to the landing zone and made an uneventful landing. The operator did not report any malfunction or failures with the helicopter that would have prevented normal operation. The pilot reported that during his repositioning flight he noticed that there were multiple power lines and shield cables erected on the tower structures located to the north and west of the tower to be serviced. After landing, he completed a preflight briefing with
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to identify and maintain adequate clearance from a shield wire that was suspended between power transmission line towers.
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Browse: Texas · 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.
