# Accident 19991025046889A: Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 500N, San Jose, CA, October 25, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 25, 1999, 15:35 local time
- Place: San Jose, CA
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.3393° N, 121.8992° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.3393&lon=-121.8992&mi=10
- Aircraft: N904PD, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N904PD-2002-04-29) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 500N (registry code 3027374, https://openairdocs.org/model/mcdonnell-douglas-helicopter-500n) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Allison 250-C20 series (registry code 03020, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c20-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX00GA025](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00GA025) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19991025046889A

## Narrative

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

(-23)ON OCTOBER 25, 1999 AT APPROXIMATELY 1515 HOURS, OFFICER DESMOND CASEY WAS IN THE PROCESS OF CONDUCTING A FERRY FLIGHT IN AIRCRAFT N904DP, A MCDONALD DOUGLAS 500N NOTAR HELICOPTER. THIS AIRCRAFT WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE SAN JOSE POLICE AIR TRAFFIC DIVISION, SAN JOSE, CA.  THE FERRY FLIGHT OF THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING CONDUCTED FROM THE REID HILLVIEW AIRPORT, TO THE SAN JOSE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (HELICOPTER'S HOME BASE).  JUST PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, OFFICER CASEY HAD MADE CONTACT WITH THE SAN JOSE TOWER, AND WAS ON A LEFT DOWN WIND APPROACH.  THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN CLEARED FOR LANDING WHEN THE TOWER RECORDED A DISTRESS MAY DAY CALL AT APPROXIMATELY 1535.  IT WAS LATER DETERMINED THAT THE HELICOPTER HAD EXPERIENCED SOME TYPE OF CONTROL OR POWER FAILURE AT APPROXIMATELY 800 FOOT ALTITUDE.  WITNESSES STATED THAT THE HELICOPTER MADE A STRAIGHT DOWN SPIRALING CRASH LANDING IN THE MIDDLE OF TH ALAMEDA STREET AND APPROXIMATELY 800 FOOT ALTITUDE.  WITNESSES STATED THAT THE HELICOPTER MADE A STRAIGHT DOWN SPIRALING CRASH LANDING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ALAMEDA STREET AND HIGHWAY 880 INTERSECTION.  OFFICER CASEY, AND PASSENGER HERMAN YEE, WERE BOTH PRONOUNCED DEAD BY POLICE/FIRE UNITS  UPON THEIR ARRIVAL AT THE SCENE.

## 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 LAX00GA025](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00GA025), Oct 25, 1999: McDonnell Douglas 500N (N904PD), San Jose, CA, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's in-flight loss of control due to the failure and separation of the forward thruster control cable telescoping sleeve ball swivel fitting, which resulted in a stuck thruster and the entry…

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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