Hughes 369D accident near Kihei, Hawaii, July 7, 2006
On July 7, 2006 at about 7:10 pm local time, a Hughes 369D (helicopter), registered N611WA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kihei, Hawaii. It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain an adequate clearance from obstructions, which led to a main rotor blade strike.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 7, 2006 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- Kihei, Hawaii · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369D · all 369Ds on the register
- Registration
- N611WA · no longer on the register · serial 590517D
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter's main rotor blades struck a tree while in a hover. The purpose of the flight was to conduct animal control. Once the animal had been identified and neutralized, the pilot was directed to remove the animal. He landed the helicopter near the animal, which was in a confined area with rolling terrain, thick low trees, high grass, and lava rock outcroppings. About 15 feet above the ground, the main rotor blades contacted a tree off to the right rear side of the helicopter. The pilot repositioned the helicopter about 100 feet to another landing site and landed normally. He reported the main rotor "blades strike" to the company and waited for the Director of Maintenance (DOM) to arrive and assess the damage to the main rotor blades. The DOM determined that the helicopter could be flown back to home base. After the helicopter returned to base, maintenance personnel removed and inspected the main rotor blades. All five of the main rotor blades sustained substantial structural damage. Maintenance personnel referenced the maintenance manual and determined that the dents/depressions in the main rotor blades were beyond serviceable limits and could not be repaired.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 13,500 hours in all; 9,300 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OGGA Kahului HI at 6:10 pm
- Destination: OGG
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 |
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 N611WA 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.