# Accident 20010814020769A: Doug 600N, Fountain Hills, AZ, August 14, 2001

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 14, 2001, 08:15 local time
- Place: Fountain Hills, AZ
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.5833° N, 111.6667° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.5833&lon=-111.6667&mi=10
- Aircraft: N70457, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N70457-2001-10-30) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: MD Helicopters 600N (registry code 3030003, https://openairdocs.org/model/md-helicopters-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
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX01FA277](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01FA277) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010814020769A

## Narrative

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

(-23) THE SHIP WAS BEING DEMO'ED. THE PILOT TRIED A MANEUVER AT LOW ALT. AND THE NOSE PITCHED DOWN. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT TOOK CONTROL BUT TOO LATE. THE ACFT HIT THE GROUND & ROLLED OVER. NO MAJOR INJURIES. (.19) ON AUGUST 14, 2001, AT 0815 HOURS MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A MD HELICOPTERS, INC., 600N, N70457, COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND WHILE MANEUVERING DURING A DEMONSTRATION FLIGHT, 6 MILES EAST OF FOUNTAIN HILLS, ARIZONA. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED, AND THE HELICOPTER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. THE FLIGHT WAS OPERATED BY MD HELICOPTERS, INC., UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE LOCAL FLIGHT THAT DEPARTED AT 0745 FROM FALCON FIELD IN MESA, ARIZONA.  ACCORDING TO PRELIMINARY INFORMATION OBTAINED BY AN INSPECTOR FROM THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, SCOTTSDALE FLIGHT STANDARD DISTRICT OFFICE, THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED DURING A SALES DEMONSTRATION FLIGHT. THE CUSTOMER WAS PERFORMING A LOW ALTITUDE "CROP DUSTER TURN" AND WAS UNABLE TO ARREST THE SINK RATE FOLLOWING THE TURN. THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND AND ROLLED OVER. NO EVIDENCE OF A FLIGHT CONTROL OR ENGINE MALFU                   NCTION WAS DETECTED DURING THE FLIGHT.

## 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 LAX01FA277](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01FA277), Aug 14, 2001: MD Helicopters 600N (N70457), Fountain Hills, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: the manufacturer's pilot's failure to maintain yaw control and main rotor speed while recovering from an unusual attitude induced by the customer pilot's inadequate control inputs while maneuvering…

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.
