# Accident 20000501023429A: Hughes 369E, Broomfield, NM, May 1, 2000

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 1, 2000, 18:10 local time
- Place: Broomfield, NM
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Unauth Low Level Opns
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.7090° N, 107.9703° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.7090&lon=-107.9703&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1606K, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1606K-2013-05-17) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 369E (registry code 3027369, https://openairdocs.org/model/mcdonnell-douglas-helicopter-369e) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Allison 250-C20 series (registry code 03020, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c20-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES 369E
- Reported engine: ALLSN 250C20R
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Pilot flight hours: 20,478 total, 2,146 in this make and model, 150 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN00FA082](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN00FA082) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000501023429A

## Narrative

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

(.4)THE HELICOPTER HAD BEEN USED FOR FIBER OPTIC CABLE INSTALLATION SUPPORT OPERATIONS EARLIER THAT DAY. THE HELICOPTER LANDED NEXT TO A COMPANY FUEL TRUCK AT A JOB SITE APPROXIMATELY 20 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF FARMINGTON, NEW MEXICO, AND APPROXIMATELY 12 MILES WEST-SOUTHWEST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE.  THERE THE HELICOPTER WAS REFUELED.  THE PILOT TOLD THE DRIVER HE AND HIS PASSENGER WERE RETURNING TO FOUR CORNERS REGIONAL AIRPORT IN FARMINGTON.  SHORTLY AFTER IT DEPARTED, AN OILFIELD WORKER, INVESTIGATING THE SOURCE OF A SMOKE PLUME, FOUND THE BURNING WRECKAGE OF THE HELICOPTER AND NOTIFIED AUTHORITIES.  A SEVERED STATIC LINE WAS FOUND NEARBY.  THE UTILITY COMPANY ESTIMATED THE HEIGHT OF THE STATIC LINE, AT THE POINT WHERE IT WAS SEVERED, TO BE 39 FEET.  THE POWER LINES WERE ESTIMATED TO BE 35 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND.  A TOXICOLOGICAL SCREEN REVEALED THE PRESENCE OF TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL (MARIJUANA) AND TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL CARBOXYLIC ACID (PRIMARY INACTIVE METABOLITE OF MARIJUANA) IN BLOOD, LUNG, AND BILE.                                                                                                                                                                                       (-23)ON MAY 1, 2000, AT APPROXIMATELY 1810 MST, A MCDONNELL DOUGLAS, HU-369-E HELICOPTER, N1606K, STRUCK A POWER LINE, CRASHED AND BURNED IN A RIVER BED APPROXIMATELY 6 MILES SOUTHEAST OF BLOOMFIELD, NM. THE PILOT AND ONLY PASSENGER ON BOARD WERE FATALLY INJURED.  THE FLIGHT WAS OPERATING UNDER PART 91 REGULATIONS.  THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED IN VFR CONDITIONS.             (.19)ON MAY 1, 2000, APPROXIMATELY 1810 MDT, A MCDONNELL DOUGLAS HELICOPTER 369E, N1606K, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY WINCO, INC., OF MOLALLA, OREGON, STRUCK A POWERLINE AND IMPATCED TERRAIN 6 MILES SOUTH OF BLOOMFIELD, NEW MEXICO.  THE COMMERICAL PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE FATALLY INJURED.  VISAUL METEORLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED FOR THE FLIGHT BEING CONDUCTED UDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91.  THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT A NEARBY STAGING AREA.  ACCORDING TO COMPANY PERSONNEL, THE HELICOPTER AND CREW HAD BEEN SUPPORTING FIBER OPTIC CABLE INSTALLATION OPERATIONS EARILER THAT DAY.  THE HELICOPTER LANDED NEXT TO A COMPANY FUEL TRUCK AND WAS REFUELED.  THE PILOT TOLD THE DRIVER HE AND HIS PASSENGER WERE RETURNING TO THE [FOUR CORNERS REGIONAL] AIRPORT.  SHORTLY THEREAFTER, AN OILFIELD WORKER,  INVESIGATED THE SOURCE OF A PLUME OF SMOKE, FOUND THE BURNING WRECKAGE AND NOTIFIED AUTHORITIED. A SEVERED POWER LINE WAS FOUND NEARBY.

## 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 DEN00FA082](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN00FA082), May 2, 2000: McDonnell Douglas 369E (N1606K), Bloomfield, NM, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's intentional buzzing (low level flying), and his failure to maintain clearance with the static wire. A factor was his physical impairment by a contraindicated drug controlled substance.

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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