Kahului Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kahului, Hawaii 96732
Thursday, May 3, 1990 15:00 HST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS POSITIONING THE HELICOPTER OVER A WHEELED LANDING PLATFORM AFTER DISEMBARKING PASSENGERS. AS THE PILOT MADE A HOVERING TURN OVER THE PLATFORM, THE TAIL BOOM STRUCK A 6 FOOT LIGHT POLE THAT WAS ATTACHED TO THE FRONT OF A TUG VEHICLE. THE TUG HAD BEEN POSITIONED TOO CLOSE TO THE LANDING PLATFORM. THE TAIL ROTOR GEARBOX AND BLADES SEPARATED FROM THE TAILBOOM.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOTS FAILURE TO ENSURE THAT ADEQUATE ROOM EXISTED TO POSITION THE HELICOPTER ON THE LANDING PLATFORM. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE OF GROUND PERSONNEL TO ENSURE THAT HAZARDS TO THE LANDING HELICOPTER WERE CLEAR OF THE LANDING AREA.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/3/1990
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Hawaii Standard Time
Event City KAHULUI
Event State HAWAII
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96732
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport KAHULUI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 066
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
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 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 20
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 1576
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 3 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1917
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42847
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9219F
NTSB Number LAX90LA162
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name HUGHES
Aircraft Model 369C
Aircraft Series Identifier 369C
Aircraft Serial Number 6385
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GERARDIN CORP.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 25320 BELLANCA WAY
Aircraft Owner City TORRANCE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90505
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ALEX AIR
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code DNWA
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 --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1500
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 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --