Hughes 369 accident near San Juan, Puerto Rico, January 11, 2018
On January 11, 2018 at about 5:50 pm local time, a 1977 Hughes 369 (helicopter), registered N571HH, was involved in an accident during maneuvering (hover) near San Juan, Puerto Rico. It was an external-load flight under external-load helicopter rules (Part 133). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The helicopter pilot's improper decision to use an open-end grapple, instead of an A-frame attachment, to lift and move a ladder with a lineman on it and the lineman's improper decision to be lifted on a ladder via an open-end grapple, which were contrary to company policy and the Federal Aviation Regulations.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 11, 2018 · about 5:50 pm local time
- Place
- San Juan, Puerto Rico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369 D, built 1977 · all 369s on the register
- Registration
- N571HH · registry record · serial 470125D
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- External-load flight · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot was conducting helicopter operations to support electrical workers on utility towers. The support included lifting ladders and other equipment with an open-end grapple and lifting ladders with electrical workers (linemen) on them with an A-frame attachment. At the time of the accident, the helicopter was attempting to lift a ladder with a lineman on it using a grapple. The ladder became bound, and the helicopter pilot descended to lower the ladder back on the static arm. The ladder became free of both the grapple and static arm, which resulted in the ladder falling to the ground with the lineman on it, causing a serious injury to the lineman. Lifting workers with an open-end grapple versus an A-frame attachment was contrary to company policy and Federal Aviation Regulation 27.865(c)(2) because the grapple does not protect against falls. The pilot reported that he was using a grapple at the time of the accident because he thought that he was only lifting the ladder. However, video recorded by the accident lineman earlier that day revealed that the helicopter pilot had previously used a grapple to move a ladder with the lineman on it and that the lineman allowed this situation to happen. Specifically, the video showed the accident lineman giving hand signals to the helicopter pilot while the lineman was on a ladder and then the helicopter lifting the ladder with a grapple so that the ladder could be repositioned to a different location on the utility tower. The pilot and lineman likely continued this practice at the time of the accident. Bee nests at the job site required the linemen to wear bee suits, which might have degraded their ability to clearly communicate, verbally and with head and hand signals, with the helicopter pilot.
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
- External load event (Rotorcraft) during maneuvering (hover) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Ground crew
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › (general) › Effect on operation
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Communication (personnel) › (general) › Ground crew
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,831 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model; 350 in the last 90 days; 165 in the last 30 days; 3,778 as pilot in command; 1,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 3, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,789 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 9, 2018; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 17,984 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: San Juan PR
- Destination: San Juan PR
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 17 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,600 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 5:56 pm from SJU, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
13 documents, released by the NTSB on June 4, 2018. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Lineman Statement | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Witness Lineman Statement | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Witness Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | FAA Interview Summaries | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Helicopter Operator Report to Usace | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Usace Accident Report | PDF, 13 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Fluor Accident Report | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 9 | Weather Report | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 10 | Phot Array | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 11 | Video Excerpt from Accident Lineman (1-11-18, 39 Sec, MP4, 292MB) - Shelf Item | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 12 | Witness Video 1 (1-11-18, ~1310 Ast, 40 Sec, Mov, 91MB) - Shelf Item | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 13 | Witness Video 2 (1-11-18, ~1333 Ast, 2 Min 9 Sec, Mov, 269MB) - Shelf Item | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.