# Accident 20110204002599A: Mcdonnell D 369E, Elverta, CA, February 4, 2011

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 4, 2011, 14:30 local time
- Place: Elverta, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: W9OL
- Location: 38.7183° N, 121.4783° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.7183&lon=-121.4783&mi=10
- Aircraft: N416WC (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: MCDONNELL D 369E
- Reported engine: ROLLS-ROYCE 250-C20B
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 22,500 total, 17,542 in this make and model, 59 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR11LA122](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR11LA122) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110204002599A

## Narrative

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

WHILE ASSISTING IN HANGING TENSIONING PULLIES ON PULL ROPE USED TO STRING CABLES BETWEEN LARGE ELECTRICAL TOWERS, HELICOPTER CAME IN CONTACT WITH PULL ROPE STRUNG BETWEEN TOWERS AND TANGLED ROTOR MAST, 3 ROTOR BLADES WERE BROKEN AND HELICOPTER WENT TO THE GROUND PARTIALLY SUSPENDED BY THE ROPE

## 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 WPR11LA122](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR11LA122), Feb 4, 2011: McDonnell Douglas Helicopters 369E (MD500E) (N416WC), Elverta, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot did not maintain rotor blade clearance from an installation rope while maneuvering to install power lines.

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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