N/A Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

West Liberty, Ohio 43357
Tuesady, July 29, 2014 16:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On July 29, 2014, at 1630 eastern daylight time, a Hughes 369D helicopter, N89ZC, collided with the terrain following a loss of engine power while trimming trees in West Liberty, Ohio. The commercial pilot was seriously injured. The helicopter sustained substantial damage. The helicopter was registered to DAH Aircraft LLC and operated by Rotor Blade LLC as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 133 external load flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which not operated on a flight plan. The local flight originated from nearby field at 1501.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/29/2014
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City West Liberty
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 43357
Event Date Year 2014
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 401807N
Event Location Longitude 0834608W
Event Location Airport N/A
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport --
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1630 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 230
Weather Observation Facility ID EDJ
Elevation of weather observation facility 1122
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3700
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.03
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) --
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 1 2014 8:06PM
User who most recently changed record sulp
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N89ZC
NTSB Number CEN14LA398
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 133: Rotorcraft Ext. Load
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire Unknown
Aircraft Explosion Unknown
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name HUGHES
Aircraft Model 369D
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 1098D
Certified Max Gross Weight 3000
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 5
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAH AIRCRAFT LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City LEWES
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 199583608
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Rotor Blade
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State SC
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 28463
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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) External Load
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City West Liberty
Departure State OH
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City West Liberty
Destination State OH
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 1 2014 8:04PM
User who most recently changed record sulp
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --