MCDONNELL DOUGLAS HELI CO 369FF
Reese, MI — August 22, 2013
Event Information
| Date | August 22, 2013 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | CEN13CA501 |
| Event ID | 20130823X54017 |
| Location | Reese, MI |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 43.47111, -83.66139 |
| Highest Injury | NONE |
Aircraft
| Make | MCDONNELL DOUGLAS HELI CO |
| Model | 369FF |
| Category | HELI |
| FAR Part | 133 |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | DAYL |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 0 |
| Minor | 0 |
| None | 2 |
| Total Injured | 0 |
Event Location
Probable Cause
The failure of the temporary hoist holding the powerline wire which resulted in a brief loss of control and main rotor blade impacts with the tower.
Full Narrative
The helicopter was conducting an electrical power line construction operation with a lineman standing outside on the skid. The wire was temporarily suspended by a hoist and the lineman was inserting a fiber shoe to attach the wire to the arm of the tower. While the helicopter was hovering next to the wire at about 200 feet above ground level the hoist slipped and the wire fell onto the top of the helicopter's skid. Control was briefly lost and four of the helicopter's main rotor blades impacted the tower resulting in substantial damage to the main rotor blades. The pilot quickly regained control and made an emergency landing in tall corn about 200 feet from the accident location.
About This NTSB Record
This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.