# Accident 20190727016099A: Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 369E, Eugene, OR, July 27, 2019 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: July 27, 2019, 22:20 local time - Place: Eugene, OR - Airport: Mahlon Sweet Field - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Landing: Approach - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 44.1214° N, 123.2072° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.1214&lon=-123.2072&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 DOUGLAS HELICOPTER 369E - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 2 - Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot - Pilot flight hours: 505 total - NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR19LA205](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR19LA205) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190727016099A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. 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 DESCEND. SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE LANDING GEAR, TAIL, COCKPIT GLASS AND THE RUDDER. THE HELICOPTER WAS RETURNING FROM THE LANE COUNTY FAIR GROUNDS TO THE EUGENE AIRPORT (KEUG). THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON STATIC DISPLAY DURING THE DAY AT THE COUNTY FAIR. THE PILOTS DEPARTED THE FAIRGROUNDS AROUND 2210 FOR THE SHORT FLIGHT BACK TO THE SHERIFF?S HANGAR AT THE EUGENE AIRPORT. THE DEPARTURE AND ENROUTE PHASES WERE UNEVENTFUL. THE WEATHER WAS GOOD VMC. THE PILOTS APPROACHED THE AIRPORT FROM THE SOUTHEAST. A WIND CHECK FROM THE TOWER INDICATED ABOUT A 10-KT. BREEZE AT 340 DEGREES. ONCE OVER THE NORTH RAMP, THE PILOT FLYING TURNED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE NORTH INTO THE WIND. UP TO THIS POINT THE PILOTS REPORTED THAT THE FLIGHT WAS, ?QUITE ROUTINE?. THE PILOTS SAW, FELT OR HEARD NOTHING TO INDICATE A PROBLEM UNTIL THE AIRCRAFT SUDDENLY YAWED TO THE RIGHT AND BEGIN A SPIN IN THAT DIRECTION. THE PILOT FLYING THEN SAID, ?WE HAVE A PROBLEM.? THE PILOTS BELIEVED THAT THEY HAD INCURRED A LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR THRUST DUE TO A MECHANICAL FAILURE. THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST UPRIGHT ON THE SKIDS WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING. THE PILOT FLYING TURNED OFF THE ELECTRONICS, THE BATTERY MASTER AND SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE. BOTH PILOTS WERE ABLE TO EXIT THE HELICOPTER AFTER THE MAIN ROTORS STOPPED. THE IMPACT WAS SIGNIFICANT AND BOTH PILOTS SUSTAINED BACK INJURIES THAT REQUIRED HOSPITALIZATION. 07/30/2019 UPON INSPECTION OF THE HELICOPTER BY AVIATION SAFETY INSPECTORS FROM THE PDX FSDO SUBSTANTIAL STRIKE DAMAGE TO THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES WAS FOUND. THERE IS CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE DRIVE SHAFT. NO VISIBLE DAMAGE TO THE MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM. THERE IS TAIL BOOM DAMAGE MID SPAN CONSISTENT WITH THE LOCATION OF THE DRIVE SHAFT FAILURE. THE SEPARATION OF THE DRIVE SHAFT IS A FOOT AFT OF THE TAIL BOOM DAMAGE. THE LANDING GEAR DAMAGE AND THE TAIL ROTOR STINGER DAMAGE IS CONSISTENT WITH A VERTICAL IMPACT. TWO ADJACENT DIVOTS IN THE ASPHALT ARE SYMMETRICAL AND CONSISTENT WITH HIGH-SPEED ROTATIONAL FORCE. THE SCARING ON THE ASPHALT WHERE THE AIRCRAFT FUSELAGE CAME TO REST IS CONSISTENT WITH A VERTICAL IMPACT. THIS IS DETERMINED BECAUSE THE THREE FLIGHT CONTROLS HAD CONTINUITY; THE CYCLIC PITH CONTROL (STICK), THE COLLECTIVE PITCH, AND ANTI-TORQUE PEDDLES. THE TAIL ROTOR GEARBOX WAS FREE TO ROTATE IN BOTH DIRECTIONS. 10/03/2019 FURTHER EXAMINATION BY NTSB AVIATION ACCIDENT INVESTIGATORS FOUND A FEW FRACTURES THAT HAVE BEEN SENT INTO THE LABORATORY FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION. ONE FRACTURE WAS THE TRANSMISSION DRIVE FROM THE ENGINE, AND THE OTHER WAS A FRACTURE IN THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVESHAFT. ## 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 WPR19LA205](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR19LA205), Jul 28, 2019: Md Helicopter 369 (N438RC), Eugene, OR, substantial damage. Probable cause: The left seat pilot’s failure to account for environmental conditions conducive to a loss of tail rotor effectiveness, which resulted in a loss of tail rotor effectiveness and subsequent loss of… ## Other reports on N438RC (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20101231054309I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20101231054309I), Dec 31, 2010: Mcdonnell D 369E (N438RC), Eugene, OR, Minor damage. The helicopter was descending out of 2400 feet, seven miles from the airport of intended landing. Suddenly the aicraft rolled to the right (starboard)… 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.