Hughes 369D accident near Kaaawa, Oahu, Hawaii, October 29, 2002
On October 29, 2002 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Hughes 369D (helicopter), registered N220AL, was destroyed in an accident near Kaaawa, Oahu, Hawaii. It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 2 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Dynamic rollover during an attempted takeoff, due to the combined effects of the soft sloping terrain and the pilot's failure to redistribute the passengers to a more favorable lateral CG condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 29, 2002 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Kaaawa, Oahu, Hawaii · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369D · all 369Ds on the register
- Registration
- N220AL · registry record · serial 1090606D
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter rolled over during an attempted takeoff from a sloping landing zone on a ridgeline composed of soft soil. The pilot's mission was to transport passengers to the remote landing site on top of a ridge. Upon arrival, the pilot performed a reconnaissance of the area and landed on a part of the ridge that sloped to the right. The pilot reported that the wind was strong and gusty, but was most directly on the nose of the helicopter. The pilot said he maintained full flight rotor rpm and completely lowered the collective pitch, then the helicopter settled right skid downslope. He noted that the ground was soft. One of the passengers, who was seated directly behind the pilot, disembarked, which left two passengers on the right side of the helicopter. Then the pilot applied collective pitch, and the helicopter began to roll right. The pilot decreased the collective and applied left cyclic, but this had no effect. The helicopter rolled over and slid down the steep incline. A search and rescue pilot who landed at the landing zone a short time after the accident reported that the wind speed was about 25 knots, and it was gusting to 30 knots.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,731 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: March 1, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,972 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 28, 2002; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Kahuku HI at 7:30 pm
- Destination: Kaaawa, Oahu HI
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft; a few clouds at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from HHI, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N220AL the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.