Accident Overview
A Hughes 369D helicopter, operating from a fishing vessel, lost control and crashed into the Pacific Ocean near Guam. The ship's captain witnessed the accident and reported that one of the main rotor blades separated while the helicopter was orbiting the vessel at approximately 200 feet above mean sea level.
Previous Maintenance Actions
During an earlier flight, a vibration associated with the main rotor system was experienced. The discrepancy was referred to the A&P mechanic on board the fishing vessel, who worked on the helicopter for about one hour alongside the pilot. Following these repairs, the helicopter was test flown.
Rotor Blade Attachment and Corrosion Prevention
The main rotor blades of the Hughes 369D are attached to the main rotor hub using stainless steel retention straps. The manufacturer outlines a procedure designed to help prevent main rotor hub component corrosion on helicopters operated in marine environments. However, records maintained at the helicopter's maintenance base revealed that sufficient supplies were not available to accomplish this procedure on board the ship.
Aircraft Recovery
The aircraft was not recovered from the accident site.