Hughes 369D accident near Taholah, Washington, April 7, 2003
On April 7, 2003 at about 4:05 pm local time, a Hughes 369D (helicopter), registered N5225C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Taholah, Washington. It was an other work-use flight under external-load helicopter rules (Part 133). 1 person had minor injuries.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The entanglement of the fuel quantity sender float in the start pump wiring within the fuel tank as a result of the wiring not being properly secured. This rendered the fuel gauge inaccurate and the low fuel warning light inoperative which led to fuel exhaustion. The improper securing of the wiring was a result of unspecified maintenance personnel not identifying the unsecured condition. Contributing factors were the lack of adequate guidance in the maintenance manuals on inspection of the wiring and the low rotor RPM during the autorotation resulting in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 7, 2003 · about 4:05 pm local time
- Place
- Taholah, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369D · all 369Ds on the register
- Registration
- N5225C · registry record · serial 590497D
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the Hughes 369D helicopter had been engaged in logging operations for about an hour when the engine flamed out, and he executed a hard landing to a nearby road. Post-crash examination found no fuel within the fuel tank, and the fuel quantity sending float entangled in the unsecured start pump wiring preventing the float from registering anything less than about 120 pounds of fuel (about 60 pounds above the Low Fuel Warning light activation setting). The helicopter had undergone a 100-hour inspection just before the accident flight during which the fuel quantity sending unit had been replaced. The maintenance manual contained procedures including a caution to secure the start pump wiring to prevent entanglement with the float, but this caution was addressed only in the start pump replacement procedure of the manual and not included in the fuel quantity sending unit replacement procedures.
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: 11,500 hours in all; 11,500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 4, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,325 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 4, 2003; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,550 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Central Park WA at 3:00 pm
- Destination: Taholah WA
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,700 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from HQM, 6 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.
Other NTSB records under N5225C 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.