History of Flight
On November 10, 2011, at about 1214 Hawaiian standard time, a Eurocopter EC130 B4 helicopter, registration N11QV, collided with mountainous terrain near Pukoo, Hawaii, on the island of Molokai. The commercial pilot and four passengers sustained fatal injuries. The aircraft was registered to Nevada Helicopters Leasing and operated by Helicopter Consultants of Maui, Inc., doing business as Blue Hawaiian Helicopters. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 135 as a visual flight rules (VFR) sightseeing tour. The flight originated from Kahului Airport on Maui at about 1144.
The helicopter departed with four passengers for a scheduled 1-hour-10-minute roundtrip sightseeing flight. The planned route was to fly north-northwest from Kahului to the northern tip of Maui, then cross the waterway to the northeastern shore of Molokai to view Halawa Valley Waterfall, and continue west along the northern sea cliffs to Papalaua Falls. If weather permitted, the flight was to enter Wailau Valley and climb over the valley wall to the southern side of Molokai; otherwise, the alternate route was to reverse course and fly east along the northern shoreline and around the eastern tip to the south side.
Pilots of other air tour helicopters in the area reported that weather conditions would not have allowed the accident pilot to fly through Wailau Valley. They reported seeing the accident helicopter or communicating with its pilot at various points, including near Papalaua Falls, Halawa Valley, and along the southern side of Molokai. The last pilot to see the accident helicopter observed it flying westbound above the southern mountainous terrain, just below a cloud ceiling estimated at 2,000 feet mean sea level (msl), in straight and level flight with no apparent distress.
Ground witnesses reported hearing a "woop wooping" sound, then seeing the helicopter descending from the central ridgeline. One witness observed pieces falling during the descent. Another witness, with the clearest view, reported the helicopter went "straight down" and impacted sideways. Other witnesses saw a large "fire ball" on impact. Witnesses reported rain showers in the area, with some describing conditions as "poor." The accident occurred between rain squalls, according to several witnesses.
Personnel Information
The 30-year-old pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with rotorcraft-helicopter and instrument ratings, a flight instructor certificate with rotorcraft-helicopter rating, and private pilot certificates for airplane single- and multi-engine land. His most recent second-class medical certificate, issued March 14, 2011, required corrective lenses for near and intermediate vision.
His previous experience included flying Bell 407 and 206B helicopters for Bristow International Helicopters in the Gulf of Mexico, accumulating about 3,300 flight hours. He was hired by Blue Hawaiian Helicopters on July 1, 2011, with no EC130 B4 time and a total of about 4,500 helicopter hours. After initial company training on July 10, 2011, he accrued about 306 hours in EC130 B4 helicopters. On November 9, he completed a Part 135 airman competency check ride administered by an FAA principal operations inspector, which included instrument procedures and unusual attitude recovery; the inspector found him capable and current.
The pilot was off duty on November 7 and 8. On November 9, his duty day was 0700–1700 with 1.2 hours of flight time on the check ride. On the accident day, he arrived at the office about 0730, checked weather, performed a preflight inspection, and completed two earlier sightseeing flights without incident. The accident flight was his third of the day.
Aircraft Information
The Eurocopter EC130 B4 is an 8-place single-engine helicopter with a Turbomeca Arriel 2B1 engine rated at 730 shaft horsepower, equipped with a Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC). It has a three-bladed main rotor and a shrouded tail rotor (Fenestron). The accident helicopter, serial number 4909, was manufactured in France in 2010 and issued an FAA certificate of airworthiness on March 2, 2010; registration N11QV was assigned on April 16, 2010.
The helicopter was equipped with a Garmin G500H electronic flight display, including optional Helicopter Synthetic Vision Technology (HSVT) providing 3D terrain views and alerts. The aircraft was maintained under an FAA Approved Aircraft Inspection Program. The most recent 100-hour inspection was completed on November 8, 2011, at 2,431.4 hours total time since new (TTSN); Eurocopter Emergency Alert Service Bulletin #53A019 was complied with, and no defects were noted. At departure for the accident flight, TTSN was 2,439.6 hours; at the time of the accident, an estimated 2,440.1 hours.
The helicopter did not have a cockpit voice recorder or flight data recorder. It was equipped with a multi-camera digital video/audio system for passenger entertainment and operational quality control, but the recordings were consumed by post-crash fire. The cabin had seven passenger seats and one pilot seat; the pilot occupied the left outboard front seat. According to the load manifest, the two front passengers sat in the right inboard and outboard seats, and the two aft passengers sat in the outboard window seats. Fuel at takeoff was 435 pounds (64 gallons); the helicopter was within weight and balance limits.
Meteorological Information
The last pilot to see the accident helicopter reported deteriorating weather with strong northeasterly wind and fast-moving rain squalls. He experienced many updrafts, downdrafts, and microbursts earlier that day. Visibility was "great" below clouds and out of heavy rain. Cloud bases around Molokai were estimated at 2,000–2,100 feet msl. He flew southbound along the eastern side and west along the southern shore, where he had a "little bit of a bumpy ride."
Kapalua Airport (PHJH), about 11 miles southeast of the accident site, reported at 1150: wind 070° at 12 knots gusting to 20, visibility 7 miles, light rain showers, scattered clouds 2,500 feet, ceiling broken 4,000 feet. At 1250: wind 050° at 17 knots gusting to 23, visibility 12 miles, vicinity showers, few clouds 1,200 feet, scattered 2,500 feet, ceiling broken 4,000 feet.
Molokai Airport (PHMK), about 15 miles west-northwest, reported at 1154: wind 040° at 17 knots gusting to 27, visibility 8 miles, scattered clouds 2,600 and 3,100 feet, ceiling broken 4,500 feet. At 1232: wind 030° at 12 knots gusting to 24, visibility 4 miles with haze, scattered clouds 2,400 feet, ceiling broken 2,900 feet.
An Area Forecast valid until 1800 advised surface wind east-northeast 25-30 knots over ridges and valleys, with scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, ceiling broken 4,500 feet, and temporary conditions of ceiling broken 2,000 feet and visibility 3-5 miles with rain and mist. An updated forecast at 1140 was similar. An AIRMET TANGO for temporary moderate turbulence below 10,000 feet was issued at 0530 and updated at 1145. A weather briefing was provided to the pilot at 0736 by Lockheed Martin Flight Service, including the AIRMET and Area Forecast.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The helicopter impacted mountainous terrain about 5 miles west of Pukoo, Hawaii, coming to rest on the apex of a north-south oriented ridgeline bordered by heavy thorny vegetation. The elevation was about 530 feet msl with terrain angles of 25–30 degrees. The debris field measured about 1,330 feet in length; the main wreckage area was about 400 feet long. The main wreckage came to rest inverted on a heading of about 260 degrees within a large burn area. Most wreckage was consumed by post-impact fire; firefighting efforts were hampered by steep terrain.
Aircraft components found outside the main wreckage included pieces of the Fenestron, a main rotor blade trim tab, Fenestron rotor and gearbox, and aft vertical flanges of the aft junction frame.
The cockpit, cabin, and instrument panel were consumed by fire. Pilot controls were identified but continuity could not be confirmed due to damage. The main gearbox (MGB) sustained extensive damage; no preimpact anomalies were noted other than some elongation in flange bolt holes. The main rotor hub and blades remained attached; blades showed thermal damage and leading-edge impact damage, especially outboard. The tail boom was in the burn area, with the aft section displaced to the right; the horizontal stabilizer was rotated counterclockwise, with left side deformed upward and right side separated outboard. The forward flange of the aft junction frame was fractured circumferentially and remained attached to the tail boom.