N175JL

On April 29, 2018, a Hughes 369 (N175JL) was involved in an incident near Newark, OH. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate clearance from transmission power wires, which resulted in a tail rotor strike.

The Chief Pilot reported that, while working on transmission power wires, the pilot maneuvered the helicopter closer to the wires to give a better position for the other crew member. He added that the pilot heard a noise and felt a vibration from the tail section. The pilot moved away from the wires, noticed no abnormality of flight, and returned to the landing zone without further incident.

Postaccident examination revealed that the helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail rotor.

The Chief Pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.

This incident is documented in NTSB report GAA18CA249. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N175JL.