20210506008169A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Mcdonnell Douglas Heli 369FF · CA · May 6, 2021

Date
May 6, 2021 · 13:30 local
Place
CA
Phase of flight
Hover/Holding
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N972BW
NTSB investigation
NTSBWPR21LA185
Reported as
Mcdonnell Douglas Heli 369FF
Reported engine
Allison 250-C30 series
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
3,208 total

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Shortly after takeoff encounter a dust devil from the right of the aircraft, lost lift, helicopter became incontrollable and experienced hard landing.

As the FAA filed it

SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF ENCOUNTER A DUST DEVIL FROM THE RIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT, LOST LIFT, HELICOPTER BECAME INCONTROLLABLE AND EXPERIENCED HARD LANDING.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.