Hughes 369D accident near Waimea, Kauai, Hawaii, December 22, 1993
On December 22, 1993 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Hughes 369D (helicopter), registered N115HD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Waimea, Kauai, Hawaii. It was an other work-use 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
AN INADEQUATE ENGINE COMPRESSOR CLEANING PROCEDURE SPECIFIED IN THE MANUFACTURER'S SERVICE LETTER, WHICH RESULTED IN THE TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO CONTAMINATION, BLOCKAGE, AND COLLAPSE OF THE FUEL NOZZLE INLET SCREEN. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE LACK OF A SPECIFIED PERIODIC INSPECTION REQUIREMENT FOR THE NOZZLE SCREEN AND THE UNSUITABLE NATURE OF THE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 22, 1993 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Waimea, Kauai, Hawaii · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369D · all 369Ds on the register
- Registration
- N115HD · registry record · serial 711020D
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING AN EXTERNAL LOAD OPERATION, THE ENGINE STOPPED PRODUCING POWER. DURING AUTOROTATION INTO A RIVER BED AREA, THE HELICOPTER CONTACTED A BOULDER & ROLLED OVER. ENG EXAM REVEALED A COLLAPSED FUEL INLET SCREEN IN THE FUEL NOZZLE RESTRICTING FUEL FLOW. HEAVY CONTAMINATION, LATER DETERMINED TO BE A SODIUM-RICH SILICON MATERIAL, WAS NOTED ON THE SCREEN. THE HELICOPTER WAS OPERATED EXCLUSIVELY IN A MARINE ENVIRONMENT, AND THE OPERATOR PERFORMED A DAILY COMPRESSOR WASH PROCEDURE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ENGINE MANUFACTURER'S SERVICE LETTER. THE SPECIFIED PROCEDURE RESULTED IN IMMERSION OF THE FUEL NOZZLE IN SODIUM-CONTAMINATED WASH WATER, WITH SUBSEQUENT SOLUTION INFILTRATION INTO THE FUEL NOZZLE INLET SCREEN. THE SCREEN HAS A LIFE LIMIT OF 2,500 HRS AND IS NOT SUBJECT TO ANY ROUTINE INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 18,000 hours in all; 8,000 in this make and model; 17,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,803 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 21, 1993; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250 C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAK Hanapepe HI at 5:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,500 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:52 pm from LIH, 45 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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.