Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kaneohe, Hawaii 96744
Monday, June 6, 1994 16:50 HST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot said the helicopter was lifting construction supplies to a power line tower in a mountainous area above the staging area. On the accident flight segment, the helicopter had delivered a load of dry cement in a cargo net and was returning with the empty paper bags in the cargo net. As the helicopter established a 20-foot hover at the staging area, the net flew upward into the tail rotor. The tail rotor assembly and gear box separated from the tail boom and the helicopter began to spin. The pilot lowered the collective to initiate an autorotation and the helicopter landed hard.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the operator's and pilot's failure to ensure that the cargo net containing empty paper bags was sufficiently ballasted to prevent it from flying up into the tail rotor.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/6/1994
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1650
Event Time Zone Hawaii Standard Time
Event City KANEOHE
Event State HAWAII
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96744
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 12
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 6 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:29AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4943T
NTSB Number LAX94LA241
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 133: Rotorcraft Ext. Load
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name HUGHES
Aircraft Model 369D
Aircraft Series Identifier 369D
Aircraft Serial Number 1190614D
Certified Max Gross Weight 3000
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 5
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 13 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 43
Airframe Hours 2189
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHERRY HELICOPTERS, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 399
Aircraft Owner City KAHUKU
Aircraft Owner State HI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 96731
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CHERRY HELICOPTERS, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 399
Operator City KAHUKU
Operator State HI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 96731
Operator Code CYHL
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation External Load
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Other Work Use
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code HNL
Departure City HONOLULU
Departure State HI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1555
Departure Time Zone HST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Hover
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --