# Accident 20090219009919A: Doug 600N, San Clemente, CA, February 19, 2009

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 19, 2009, 19:30 local time
- Place: San Clemente, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.4491° N, 117.6131° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of San Clemente, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.4491&lon=-117.6131&mi=10
- Aircraft: N608BP, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N608BP-2018-03-27) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 600N (registry code 3027377, https://openairdocs.org/model/mcdonnell-douglas-helicopter-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
- Reported engine: ALLSN 250C47M
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 6,000 total, 1,370 in this make and model, 55 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR09GA119](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09GA119) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090219009919A

## Narrative

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

(-23) THIS HELICOPTER DEPARTED LONG BEACH DAUGHERTY FIELD (KLGB) AT APPROXIMATELY 1900 LOCAL TIME EN ROUTE TO SAN DIEGO BROWN FIELD (KSDM).  ABOUT 30 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT, THE COPILOT OCCUPYING THE LEFT FRONT SEAT WAS AT THE CONTROLS, CRUISING AT 1,500 FEET MSL OVER SAN ONOFRE BEACH.  AT THIS TIME THE PIC DALOUR NOTICED THE INTERMITTENT ILLUMINATION OF THE ECU DEGRADED CAUTION LIGHT.  THE PIC SITTING IN THE FRONT RIGHT SEAT TOOK OVER THE CONTROL AND ALMOST IMMEDIATELY THERE WAS A LOUD EXPLOSION.  THE PIC DECIDED TO ENTER AUTOROTATION WITH A RIGHT TURN (TOWARDS THE OCEAN).  HE COMPLETED A DESCENDING TURN OF ABOUT 140 DEGREES AND EXECUTED A TOUCH DOWN LANDING IN BEACH WATERS EDGE WITH NO LATERAL OR FORWARD MOTION ACCORDING TO THE PIC.  THE AIRCRAFT ENDED IN THE SURF WITH NOSE POINTING TO A NORTHWESTERLY DIRECTION.  DURING THE FINAL PHASE OF THE LANDING, AT LEAST ONE MAIN ROTOR BLADE MADE CONTACT WITH THE TAIL BOOM.  THE COPILOT COULD NOT EVACUATE THE AIRCRAFT THROUGH HIS DOOR, SO BOTH PILOTS EVACUATED THROUGH THE FRONT RIGHT DOOR.  THE PASSENGER EVACUATED THROUGH LEFT REAR DOOR; THE RIGHT DOOR WAS ALSO JAMMED.

## 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 WPR09GA119](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09GA119), Feb 20, 2009: Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 600 (N608BP), San Clemente, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: Failure of the engine’s number two bearing during cruise flight, which resulted in a loss of engine power.

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.