# Incident 20101231054309I: Mcdonnell D 369E, Eugene, OR, December 31, 2010

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 31, 2010, 13:15 local time
- Place: Eugene, OR
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 44.0521° N, 123.0868° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Eugene, OR, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.0521&lon=-123.0868&mi=10
- Aircraft: N438RC, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N438RC-2023-10-07) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 369E (registry code 3027369, https://openairdocs.org/model/mcdonnell-douglas-helicopter-369e) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MCDONNELL D 369E
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 1,500 total, 450 in this make and model, 10 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20101231054309I

## Narrative

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

THE HELICOPTER WAS DESCENDING OUT OF 2400 FEET, SEVEN MILES FROM THE AIRPORT OF INTENDED LANDING. SUDDENLY THE AICRAFT ROLLED TO THE RIGHT (STARBOARD) APPROXIMATELY BETWEEN 110 AND 130 DEGREES OF ROLL (INVERTED). THE AIRCRAFT SHUDDERED WITH A SEVERE VIBRATION.  THE CAUTION PANEL AND ENGINE OUT LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND THE ENGINE OUT HORN SOUNDED.  THE PILOT NUTRALIZED THE PEDALS AND APPLIED LEFT CYLIC TO RIGHT THE AIRCRAFT AND IT RESPONDED SLOWLY AT FIRST.  THE PILOT ENTERED AUTOROTATION TO A SMALL FIELD AND TOUCHED DOWN WITH NO FURTHER DAMAGE.  THE ENGINE WAS AT IDLE, BUT RUNNING.  THE PILOT THEN DID A NORMAL SHUTDOWN. UPON POST FLIGHT INSPECTION IT WAS DISCOVERED THERE HAD BEEN A BIRD STRIKE.  THERE WERE TWO MINOR DENTS IN THE LOWER VERTICAL FIN AND A THUMB SIZE DENT ABOUT .0030 DEEP IN ONE OF THE FOUR TAIL ROTOR BLADES.

## Other reports on N438RC (1)

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

- [Accident 20190727016099A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190727016099A), Jul 27, 2019: Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 369E (N438RC), Eugene, OR, Substantial damage. 07/27/2019 Helicopter was inbound to the north run-up area. As the helicopter approached 50 foot AGL it rapidly climbed to 200 feet and then began to spin and…

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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