Hughes 369E accident near Lake Ross, New Zealand, Nz, December 15, 2013
On December 15, 2013 at about 4:00 am local time, a Hughes 369E (helicopter), registered ZKHNA, was destroyed in an accident during maneuvering near Lake Ross, New Zealand. 1 person was killed.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
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Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 15, 2013 · about 4:00 am local time
- Place
- Lake Ross, New Zealand, New Zealand · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369E E · all 369Es on the register
- Registration
- ZKHNA · no longer on the register · serial 0477E
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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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
What happened, in order
- Unknown or undetermined during maneuvering defining event
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,998 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Fire on the ground
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.