# Accident 20040908034889A: Doug MD900, Mesa, AZ, September 8, 2004

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 8, 2004, 16:00 local time
- Place: Mesa, AZ
- Airport: Mcdonnell Douglas Heliport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: To Running(Helicopter/Vtol Ac)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.4731° N, 111.7267° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.4731&lon=-111.7267&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9016W, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9016W-2012-04-18) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter MD 900 (registry code 3027375, https://openairdocs.org/model/mcdonnell-douglas-helicopter-md-900) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PW206A (registry code 52151, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pw206a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: DOUG MD900
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 653 total, 20 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX04LA333](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04LA333) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040908034889A

## Narrative

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

(-23) HELICOPTER TAXIED FROM PARKING AT BOEING MESA AIRFIELD. IT THEN PERFORMED SEVERAL HOVERING MANEUVERS FOR APPROX. 10 MINUTES IN THE HELICOPTER ACTIVE RUNWAY AREA. THE PILOT THEN LANDED ON HELIPAD #3 FOR A SHORT TIME TO CONTACT TOWER FOR TAKE OFF CLEARANCE. THERE HAD BEEN NO UNUSUAL VIBRATIONS OR CONTROL PROBLEMS NOTED BY THE PILOT DURING THIS TIME. ONCE CLEARED TO DEPART THE AIRPORT AREA THE PILOT INITIATED A TAKE-OFF CLIMB. AT APPROXIMATELY 30-40 FT AGL THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A SEVERE HIGH FREQUENCY VIBRATION THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE AIRFRAME. COLLECTIVE WAS REDUCED TO FULL DOWN POSITION AND THEN REAPPLIED JUST PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN FOR CUSHIONING THE LANDING RATE OF DESCENT. PILOT REPORTS VIBRATION WAS PRESENT THROUGHOUT THE TAKE OFF AND LANDING, AND A NOTICEABLE LACK OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, AS AIRCRAFT HEADING WAS UNABLE TO BE MAINTAINED DURING LANDING. AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN & SLID APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET BEFORE COMING TO REST FOUR FEET OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 22. AIRCRAFT WAS SHUT DOWN AND SECURED. NO VISIBLE DAMAGE WAS NOTED TO EXTERIOR OF THE AIRCRAFT. HOWEVER, ONCE THE NOTAR FAN ACCESS WAS OPENED, SEVERAL FAN PIECES WERE OBSERVED IN THE SHROUD AREA. RUNWAY INSPECTION REVEALED OTHER FAN PIECES ALONG FLIGHT PATH.

## 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 LAX04LA333](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04LA333), Sep 8, 2004: McDonnell Douglas MD 900 (N9016W), Mesa, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: fracture of a Tension-Torsion strap in the anti-torque fan due to progressive fiber failure of the composite strap material from compression and/or transverse shear stresses that occurred with…

## Other reports on N9016W (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 20080610835209I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080610835209I), Jun 10, 2008: Doug MD900 (N9016W), Mesa, AZ, Minor damage. (-23) On 6-10-08, [privacy data omitted] along with mechanics [privacy data omitted], and [privacy data omitted] performed a maintenance check flight of N9016W…

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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