# Accident 19980413006749A: Doug MD500E, Columbus, OH, April 13, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 13, 1998, 10:40 local time
- Place: Columbus, OH
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Autorot Descent (Rotorcraft)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.0909° N, 82.9791° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.0909&lon=-82.9791&mi=10
- Aircraft: N551CP (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: DOUG MD500E
- Reported engine: ALLSN 250C20
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 7,000 total, 46 in this make and model, 39 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC98GA093](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC98GA093) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980413006749A

## Narrative

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

HELICOPTER CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, COLUMBUS, OH. (.4)AFTER LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AT ABOUT 700 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, THE PILOT ENTERED AN AUTOROTATION TO A STREET. TO AVOID WIRES DURING THE AUTOROTATION, THE PILOT FLARED EARLY, TRADING SPEED FOR ALTITUDE TO AVOID THE WIRES. AFTER PASSING OVER THE WIRES, THE HELICOPTER BEGAN SETTLING. THE PILOT INCREASED COLLECTIVE, BUT THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN HARD. THE MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM THEN FLEXED DOWNWARD AND SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE AND FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED NO ANOMALY. ALSO, AN OPERATIONAL CHECK OF THE ENGINE WAS MADE, AND IT PERFORMED WITHIN OPERATIONAL SPECIFICATIONS.       (-23) PILOT REPORTED LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHILE IN 80 KNOT CRUISE FLIGHT AT 1400 FT MSL (500 FT AGL) OVER DENSELY POPULATED RESIDENTIAL AREA.  HE BEGAN AUTOROTATION AND BEGAN A PLANNED SOUTHBOUND LANDING ON A STREET DIRECTLY STRAIGHT AHEAD AND INTO A DIRECT HEADWIND OF 14 TO 17 KNOTS AS REPORTED ON CMH ATIS.  AT THE TIME OF TOUCHDOWN, THE MAIN ROTOR STRUCK THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER AND THE TAIL BOOM, BOTH OF WHICH DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT.  THE AIRCRAFT SKIDDED AND ROTATED COUNTERCLOCKWISE 110 DEGREES AGAINST THE CURB OF T             HE STREET. THE PILOT HAD PULLED OUT THE FUEL SHUT-OFF DURING THE AUTOROTATION. THERE WAS NO FIRE AND THE PASSENGERS AND PILOT DEPLANED REPORTEDLY WITHOUT ANY PHYSICAL INJURIES.

## 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 NYC98GA093](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC98GA093), Apr 13, 1998: McDonnell Douglas 500E (N551CP), Columbus, OH, substantial damage. Probable cause: loss of engine power for undetermined reason(s). Related factors were: lack of suitable terrain for an emergency landing; and high obstructions in the forced landing area.

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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