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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

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March 25, 2021 · Hughes 369D · N41AJ

Lake City, KS

Overview

Report Status
Probable Cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
March 25, 2021
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (2 uninjured)
Location
Lake City, KS
Aircraft
Hughes 369D (1978)
Tail Number
N41AJ
Operator
English Air Service
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
CEN21LA165

The pilot reported that while hovering near power lines, for the purpose of installing bird diverters, a gust of wind pushed the helicopter “into the OPGW wire.” The pilot repositioned the helicopter away from the wire and then saw it fly up and into the rotor system. He immediately started a controlled landing and safely landed the helicopter. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to all five rotor blades. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical anomalies with the helicopter before the wire strike that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the helicopter operator is adding local weather stations to augment reported weather when the flight crews are working in remote areas. Additionally, for skid operations, the operator has restricted the steady state wind and gust spreads by zone for the helicopter.

NTSB Probable Cause

Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Altitude-Not attained/maintained

Full Narrative

The pilot reported that while hovering near power lines, for the purpose of installing bird diverters, a gust of wind pushed the helicopter “into the OPGW wire.” The pilot repositioned the helicopter away from the wire and then saw it fly up and into the rotor system. He immediately started a controlled landing and safely landed the helicopter. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to all five rotor blades. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical anomalies with the helicopter before the wire strike that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the helicopter operator is adding local weather stations to augment reported weather when the flight crews are working in remote areas. Additionally, for skid operations, the operator has restricted the steady state wind and gust spreads by zone for the helicopter.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time12:30 CDT
Nearest Airport0nm
Flight Plan FiledNone
Flight Plan ActivatedNo
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftHughes 369D
Tail NumberN41AJ
Aircraft CategoryHeli
DamageSubstantial
OperatorEnglish Air Service
Operating RulePart 133
Engines1
Engine TypeTurboshaft
Engine DetailsRolls Royce · 250-C20 · Turboshaft · 400
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (2 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured2
Total2
Crew 1Age 66 · Second Class · None

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind345° @ 8 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point44 C / 43 C
Altimeter27.78 inHg
Observation Time10:00
Weather SourcePILO

Appendix: Source Data