Hughes 369HS accident near Manra Island, PO, September 3, 2015
On September 3, 2015 at about 5:52 pm local time, a 1971 Hughes 369HS (helicopter), registered N9068F, was destroyed in an accident during maneuvering near Manra Island, PO. It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A The loss of helicopter control for reasons that could not be determined asbecause the helicopter sank in the oceanwater and was not recovered.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 3, 2015 · about 5:52 pm local time
- Place
- Manra Island, PO · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369HS HS, built 1971 · all 369HSs on the register
- Registration
- N9068F · no longer on the register · serial 210293S
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to an operator representative, the commercial pilot and passenger/spotter were conducting fish-spotting duties. The operator reported that, about 16 minutes after the helicopter departed from the fishing vessel, the fishing vessel's radio operator reported losing contact with the helicopter. Vessel personnel then located the helicopter upside down in the water and initiated rescue operations. The passenger reported that "the helicopter went wrong in the air and started rolling over and fell into the water." The passenger evacuated the helicopter and was rescued shortly after. He reported that he saw that the pilot's life vest had inflated inside the helicopter and that the pilot was struggling to exit and then stopped moving. After the passenger was transported to a hospital, he was not available for further questioning. The pilot's personal life vest, which was equipped to self-inflate when submerged in water, likely prevented him from evacuating the helicopter as it rolled over. After the accident, the operator advised its pilots not to use this type of life vest and to use the company-issued flotation life vests. The helicopter sank and was not recovered. The reason for the loss of helicopter control could not be determined.
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
- Low altitude operation/event during maneuvering defining event
- Ditching during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Equipment/furnishings › Life jacket › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,350 hours in all; 355 in this make and model; 110 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 5,250 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 10, 2015
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Other crew
- Flight time: 0 hours in all; 0 in this make and model
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,871 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 20, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C18C (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Whirlwide Helicopters INC
The flight
- Departed from: Manra Island PO at 5:17 pm
- Destination: Manra Island PO
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 085° at 17 knots, gusting 5
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N9068F 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.