On December 27, 2001, a Hughes 369E (registration N280SP) was involved in an aviation accident near Park City, UT. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: the pilot's inadequate visual lookout, resulting in an inflight collision with powerlines. Contributing factors were the fog and the powerlines. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A helicopter contracted to relocate moose struck five power lines, fell 80 feet onto a frozen reservoir, broke through the ice, and floated back to the surface. Visibility was 1 mile in fog.
Overview
A helicopter engaged in a state-contracted moose relocation operation struck multiple power lines and subsequently crashed onto a frozen reservoir. The helicopter had been tasked with moving moose to an area where they would pose less hazard to traffic.
Incident Details
After herding a moose off a frozen reservoir and toward the shoreline, the pilot turned the helicopter and flew into five power lines. The impact caused the helicopter to nose over and fall approximately 80 feet in a near-inverted attitude onto the frozen surface of the reservoir. The aircraft broke through the ice, sank, and then floated back to the surface. A portion of the tail boom became entangled in the wires.
Witnesses reported that visibility at the time of the accident was 1 mile due to fog.
Wreckage Examination
An examination of the wreckage revealed no anomalies with the helicopter.