History of Flight
On May 20, 2018, at 1049 central daylight time, an MD Helicopters, Inc. 369D helicopter, registration N362JS, collided with a power line structure and impacted terrain while performing an aerial repair near Luling, Louisiana. The commercial pilot sustained minor injuries, one crewmember sustained serious injuries, and a second crewmember sustained fatal injuries. The helicopter was operated by Air2 LLC as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 133 external load operation. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a company flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Port of South Louisiana Executive Regional Airport (APS), Reserve, Louisiana, at 0936.
The operator stated that the accident occurred while the pilot and crewmembers were positioning a shield wire to a bracket that had separated from the end of the "goat head" arm on the power line support structure. The goat head arm was about 13 ft long, with the bracket end positioned 8 ft above the horizontal support arm. The goat head held a shield wire above high-tension power lines.
The pilot arrived at APS around 0700, conducted a preflight inspection, and found no discrepancies. He discussed the job hazard analysis and repair plan with crewmembers. They decided to use the flight to train the second crewmember on skid work. After departing, the original crewmember performed the first repair, and the second crewmember performed two more. They then proceeded to the next structure, where the shield wire had fallen onto the conductor arm. They planned to hang a chain hoist below the helicopter to hook the shield wire and attach it to the static arm. While hovering over the conductor arm, the pilot felt a rumbling and the helicopter descended, impacting the marsh on its left side. The pilot egressed and found the first crewmember conscious nearby. Unable to locate the second crewmember, he suspended his search due to fire. The pilot used a fire extinguisher but depleted it.
A witness heard a boom/crack and responded. The pilot waved for assistance and was transported from the site. During transport, the pilot stated he "hooked a skid and could not get it out."
The second crewmember was restrained by a harness connected to the helicopter via a D-ring and lanyard in the aft cargo area. Rescue personnel rolled the helicopter over to remove the passenger, cutting the harness and disconnecting the lanyard.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The helicopter came to rest on its left side beneath the power line structure in marshy terrain, submerged in about 3 ft of water. The main wreckage included the fuselage, skids, main rotor head with two blades attached, and a portion of the tail boom. A 5-ft section of the tail boom and tail rotor driveshaft were found in adjacent trees. The aft tail boom section, including tail rotor assembly, was about 25 ft south. Two main rotor blades were about 100 ft south, and one was about 50 ft south. The canopy and doors were fragmented and crushed. The lower fuselage was damaged where landing gear struts passed through. The left forward strut was fractured; left aft strut was undamaged. Skids were intact.
The tail boom had partial separations near the forward fuselage attachment and horizontal stabilizer, with features of a main rotor blade strike. Tail rotor transmission and stabilizers were attached. Tail rotor blades separated outboard of root fittings and were not recovered. Main rotor blades showed wrinkling, bending, and tearing; three of five blades separated from the hub, two remained attached.
Flight control continuity was confirmed from cyclic and collective controls through overload fractures to the main rotor swashplate. Antitorque pedal continuity was confirmed through overload fractures to the tail rotor pitch control assembly. Lateral and longitudinal trim actuators operated normally when tested. Tail rotor swashplate bearing and pitch control assembly moved freely. Tail rotor gearbox rotated freely. Main rotor and tail rotor drive continuity from engine to main transmission was confirmed, with no ferrous debris on chip detectors. The engine-to-transmission driveshaft separated at the overrunning clutch flex coupling; bolts and nuts were in place, plates fractured. Main transmission rotated smoothly. Oil was present in the sight glass.
The engine remained attached, displaced left due to impact, damaging left-side compressor discharge tubes and burner can. Engine control continuity was confirmed. Fuel control unit indicator was at ground idle. Jet A fuel was found in the fuel line. Airframe oil filter had no metallic debris. No ferrous debris on engine chip detectors. First-stage compressor blades were undamaged; compressor turned freely. Gas producer turbine blades were intact. Continuity from fourth-stage power turbine to output shaft was established.
The goat head top plate had a bracket that held shield cable shoe hardware. The bracket was sheared off and not recovered. Four attaching 1/2-inch diameter bolts were sheared flush. One bolt face showed red paint transfer; the upper plate also had red paint transfer consistent with the helicopter's red color. A puncture hole 6 inches long under the plate was consistent with a main rotor blade.
Medical and Pathological Information
Toxicology testing of the pilot at the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory was negative for ethanol and tested-for drugs. Toxicology testing of the deceased crewmember revealed carboxyhemoglobin in blood, no ethanol in vitreous, and yohimbine in blood and urine.