# Accident 19980203006229A: Doug 600N, Mesa, AZ, February 3, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 3, 1998, 09:35 local time
- Place: Mesa, AZ
- Airport: Falcon Field Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Pwr On Vertical Ldng/Rtrcrft
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.5096° N, 111.5795° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.5096&lon=-111.5795&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9204D, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9204D-2005-12-13) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 600N (registry code 3027377, https://openairdocs.org/model/mcdonnell-douglas-helicopter-600n) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Allison 250-C47 series (registry code 03029, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c47-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: DOUG 600N
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 10,361 total, 308 in this make and model, 54 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX98LA093](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA093) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980203006229A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

PROTO TYPE FLIGHT TEST. VELOCITY AND HEIGHT TEST. DAMAGED ON HARD LANDING OTHER SAME TEST SIMILIAR DAMAGE. (.4) WHILE IN THE PROCESS OF VERIFYING A HEIGHT/VELOCITY PERFORMANCE DATA POINT, THE PILOT ENTERED AN AUTOROTATION AT TAKEOFF POWER AND MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT. THE ONBOARD TELEMETRY REVEALED THAT THE PILOT REDUCED THE THROTTLE TO FLIGHT IDLE AT THE ENTRY POINT BUT THAT THE REMAINING MOMENTUM CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO ACCELERATE AND CLIMB.  DURING THE DESCENT, THE MAIN ROTOR RPM DECAYED AND AN EXCESSIVE VERTICAL SINK RATE DEVELOPED.  THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD AT THE INTENDED TOUCHDOWN POINT.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS HOVER-TAXIED FROM THE LANDING AREA AND A NORMAL SHUTDOWN WAS COMPLETED. THE TEST PILOT REPORTED THAT THE HEIGHT/VELOCITY DATA POINT WAS OUTSIDE THE AIRCRAFT'S PERFORMANCE CAPABILITIES.                         (-23) SEE NARRATIVE #LAX98LA093.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX98LA093](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA093), Feb 3, 1998: Boeing MD600N (N9204D), Mesa, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: the attempt by flight test engineers to verify a height/velocity data point that was subsequently shown to be outside the aircraft's performance capabilities.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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