# Accident 20230907010599A: Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 369E, Houston, TX, September 7, 2023

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 7, 2023, 12:00 local time
- Place: Houston, TX
- Airport: Houston Southwest Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Other, Specify
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 29.5063° N, 95.4758° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.5063&lon=-95.4758&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8372F, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8372F) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 369E (registry code 3027369, https://openairdocs.org/model/mcdonnell-douglas-helicopter-369e) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Allison 250-C20 series (registry code 03020, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c20-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MCDONNELL DOUGLAS HELICOPTER 369E
- Reported engine: ALLISON 250-C20 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 4,114 total, 87 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN23LA404](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA404) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230907010599A

## Narrative

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

PIC WAS GIVING AN EVALUATION FLIGHT AT KAXH. AFTER SEVERAL TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS TO RWY 27 THE PIC INITIATED POWER RECOVERY AUTOROTATIONS TO RWY 27. THE CREW HAD COMPLETED THREE AUTOROTATIONS AND WERE SETTING UP FOR THE FOURTH POWER RECOVERY AUTO FROM 800' AGL AND 80KTS. PRIOR TO INITIATING THE MANEUVER THE PIC COMPLETED A COCKPIT BRIEF STATING THE PARAMETERS OF THE MANEUVER. WHILE SETTING UP FOR THE MANEUVER THE PIC SAW ANOTHER AIRCRAFT TAXI TO THE HOLD SHORT OF RWY 27. THE SIC MADE A RADIO CALL ON CTAF TO NOTIFY ALL AIRCRAFT THAT THEY WERE SHORT FINAL RWY 27. THE PIC THEN INITATED THE MANEUVER. SIC EXECUTED THE MANEUVER WITH AN INTENDED LANDING SPOT ABEAM THE HOLD SHORT AIRCRAFT. SIC INITIATED THE AUTORATION FLARE AND THE ROTOR RPM WENT HIGH. THE PIC PULLED POWER TO CONTROL THE HIGH RPM AT WHICH TIME THE PIC REALIZED HE FAILED TO RETURN THE THROTTLES TO FULL OPEN IN THE FLARE. THE SIC LEVELED THE AIRCRAFT AND LANDED HARD ON RWY 27 DUE TO THE LOW ROTOR RPM CAUSING THE ROTOR BLADE TO IMPACT THE TAIL BOOM OF THE AIRCRAFT.

## 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 CEN23LA404](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA404), Sep 7, 2023: Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 369E (N8372F), Arcola, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The instructor’s failure to re-apply engine power during a power recovery after a practice autorotation which resulted in a hard landing.

## Other reports on N8372F (2)

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

- [Accident 20240930015339A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240930015339A), Sep 30, 2024: Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 369E (N8372F), Manvel, TX, Substantial damage. During an evaluation/check-ride flight on 30 September 2024. The pilot under evaluation who was the PIC was at the controls performing a practice autorotation…
- [Incident 20090505009499I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090505009499I), May 5, 2009: Hughes 369E (N8372F), Houston, TX, Minor damage. (-23) Returning to base following a routine air patrol, the pilot and passenger heard a loud bang followed by complete loss of engine power. A autorotation was…

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.