Hughes 369D accident near Kahuku, Hawaii, April 20, 2007
On April 20, 2007, a Hughes 369D (helicopter), registered N911FT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kahuku, Hawaii (Turtle Bay Hilton Heliport airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 2 people had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Fatigue cracking of the oil line from the engine gearbox to the oil pressure gauge, which resulted in loss of engine lubricating oil, leading to seizure of the power turbine.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 20, 2007
- Place
- Kahuku, Hawaii · Turtle Bay Hilton Heliport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369D · all 369Ds on the register
- Registration
- N911FT · no longer on the register · serial 811036D
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During an aerial surveillance flight, the helicopter's engine chip light illuminated, and the pilot headed towards a nearby heliport to make a precautionary landing. The pilot established a steep fast approach in case of engine failure while on approach. At approximately 100 feet above the ground and an airspeed of 65 knots, he applied power and began to slow the helicopter. At this point, the engine lost power, and the pilot entered an autorotation. The helicopter landed hard breaking both forward landing gear struts and spreading the rear struts. The main rotor blades impacted the tail boom, and the tail boom separated from the fuselage. Examination of the helicopter revealed heavy deposits of oil on the inner surfaces of the engine compartment as well as on the exterior surfaces of the engine. There was no oil in the airframe engine oil reservoir. The oil line leading from the engine gearbox to the oil pressure gauge was found cracked beneath the "B" nut securing it to the fitting on the engine gearbox. The N2 (power turbine) drive could not be rotated. Partial disassembly of the engine revealed damage to the number six, seven, and eight bearings consistent with a lack of adequate lubrication. Laboratory examination of the cracked oil line found fatigue cracking had propagated through an estimated 90 percent of the cross-sectional area of the tube. The cracking allowed lubricating oil to leak from the line resulting in oil starvation to the bearings leading to seizure of the power turbine.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 14,000 hours in all; 9,990 in this make and model; 95 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 13,804 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,899 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls-Royce 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HNL Honolulu HI at 11:05 pm
- Destination: HI58 Kahuku HI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; a few clouds at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 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 N911FT 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.