On November 27, 1983, a Hughes 369D (registration N1112B) was involved in an aviation accident near Caliente, CA. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A helicopter pilot instructed ground crew to place external cable slings in the cargo area, but they connected them to the external hook. After takeoff, the cable hit the tail rotor, wrapped around the aft section, and the helicopter crashed.
Incident Overview
A helicopter accident occurred after ground crew mistakenly connected an external cable to the helicopter's external hook instead of placing it in the cargo area as instructed by the pilot. The pilot was unaware of this error before takeoff.
Sequence of Events
After lifting off, the cable contacted the tail rotor and subsequently wrapped around the rear portion of the helicopter. The pilot reported hearing a loud noise immediately after takeoff but initially observed no abnormalities in flight characteristics.
During a descent phase, the helicopter began to experience a yawing motion. The pilot attempted to steer away from a line of trees. Control was lost, and the helicopter entered a right spin. The aircraft then crashed into a clearing.
The official investigation report provided these facts without additional analysis or conclusions.