Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 369E accident near Waialua, Hawaii, January 25, 2024
On January 25, 2024 at about 10:47 pm local time, a 1997 Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 369E, registered N545PH, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Waialua, Hawaii. It was an other work-use flight under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inability to maintain directional control after a skid got caught on a fence while he was maneuvering the helicopter for takeoff, which resulted in a dynamic roll-over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 25, 2024 · about 10:47 pm local time
- Place
- Waialua, Hawaii · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 369E, built 1997 · all 369Es on the register
- Registration
- N545PH · no longer on the register · serial 0536E
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that while attempting to takeoff from a landing zone (LZ) that was overgrown with tall vegetation, the right front skid got caught in a fence, which resulted in a dynamic roll over. The helicopter rolled to the right and forward down the ridge and came to rest on its right side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, tail boom and main rotor transmission. The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Dynamic rollover during takeoff defining event
- Collision during takeoff/land during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 15,900 hours in all; 10,600 in this make and model; 124 in the last 90 days; 52 in the last 30 days; 15,800 as pilot in command; 429 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 14, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,358.7 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 10, 2023; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls Royce 250-C20B (turboshaft); 13,385 hours total
- Operator: K & S Helicopters INC
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Kahuku HI at 10:11 pm
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.91 inHg
- Observation at 12:55 pm from PHHI, 5 miles away
Weather report (METAR): PHHI 252255Z AUTO 22006KT 10SM CLR 25/17 A2991 RMK AO2 SLP119 T02520166 $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on August 30, 2024. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC24LA012.