Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 500N accident near Honolulu, Hawaii, September 2, 2016
On September 2, 2016 at about 7:45 pm local time, a 1994 Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 500N, registered N5232G, was involved in an accident during initial climb near Honolulu, Hawaii. It was a public-use flight (local) under public-use (government) rules. 1 person was seriously injured; 3 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain helicopter control in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in the helicopter rescue net’s contact with a utility pole and serious injury to an occupant who fell from the rescue net. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s and rescue personnel’s decision to continue the extraction in proximity to the pole.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 2, 2016 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Honolulu, Hawaii · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 500N, built 1994 · all 500Ns on the register
- Registration
- N5232G · no longer on the register · serial LN075
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Public-use flight (local) · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter pilot reported that, during a rescue operation to extract a hiker in distress, he flew to a hiking trail lookout where fire department personnel were already present. He observed a utility pole on the east side of the lookout and estimated the wind was about 10-20 kts from the east. The pilot landed the helicopter in a nearby landing zone and prepared the helicopter for a rescue net extraction. The pilot then took off and lowered the rescue net from the 75-100-ft-long line to the injured hiker and firefighter. After they both climbed into the net, the helicopter started to ascend; a strong gust of wind unexpectedly caused the helicopter to ascend too quickly and move laterally toward the utility pole. The pilot attempted to stop the swing of the long line, but the net impacted the utility pole. The firefighter was electrocuted and fell from the net about 20 ft to the ground, which resulted in serious injury. At the time of the accident, the Hawaiian Islands were under the influence of tropical easterly winds, and a hurricane watch had been issued. The surface observations indicated northeast winds of 14-20 kts with peak gusts of 28 kts during the time surrounding the accident. It is likely that the northeast winds produced unfavorable wind conditions over the terrain at the lookout. The operator's "Technical Rescue Standard Operating Guidelines" states, in part, that "[t]eam members and the pilot shall agree that the area they are being inserted into is safe and free of obstructions…"
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
- Other weather encounter during initial climb
- External load event (Rotorcraft) during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during initial climb
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Pole › Effect on operation
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Other/unknown
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,582 hours in all; 2,282 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 2,882 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 23, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,380 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 30, 2016; 73 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls Royce C20R (turboshaft); 9,192 hours total
- Operator: City And County Of Honolulu
The flight
- Departed from: HNL Honolulu HI at 7:30 pm
- Destination: HNL Honolulu HI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,800 ft; a few clouds at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from HNL, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 2 | ||
| 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 WPR16LA175.