Hughes 369D accident near Raymond, Washington, July 9, 1998
On July 9, 1998 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Hughes 369D (helicopter), registered N5063G, was involved in an accident near Raymond, Washington. 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The use of the improper long-line cable by the ground crew, and its subsequent separation from the helicopter.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 9, 1998 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Raymond, Washington · 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
- N5063G · registry record · serial 369D-1021
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Two ground crewman were preparing cedar shake blocks for movement by the helicopter, and were utilizing a three-quarter inch diameter, yellow plastic line provided by the contractor. Each end of this flexible line was attached to itself by means of a woven 'splice' to create a loop at its end. The polypropylene line was then centered around the load with one spliced loop eye end threaded through the opposing spliced loop eye. The free loop end was captured in the hook at the end of the helicopter's sling line. During the helicopter's liftoff, the spliced end of the line at the helicopter's long-line hook released, allowing the cedar shake load to fall free, striking and fatally injuring one of the ground crew personnel. Post-crash examination of the line revealed that one end of the line had unraveled, and that the splice at the opposing end was not spliced in accordance with acceptable industry standards.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 25,000 hours in all; 10,000 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 25,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,054 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 28, 1998; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,550 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WA at 3:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 24,000 ft; scat at 16,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from HQM, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N5063G the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA98LA128.