# NTSB CEN19LA207: Md Helicopter 369, N5277F, Houston, TX, July 5, 2019 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: July 4, 2019, 20:00 local (Jul 5, 2019, 01:00 UTC) - Place: Houston, TX - Coordinates: 29.645833, -95.276947 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.6458&lon=-95.2769&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 99771 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN19LA207 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/99771/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=99771 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN19LA207 ## Probable cause The loss of control upon landing for undetermined reasons. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [MD Helicopters 369E, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=3030008), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [MD Helicopters 369E, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=3030008), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The helicopter flew about 1.5 hours with no problems. On final approach to land the helicopter, about 5 to 10 ft above the ground, the pilot experienced a sudden uncontrollable yaw and bank. The left skid contacted the ground, and the helicopter rolled onto its right side. The pilot stated that there was no sudden gust of wind and that he did not have input on the controls that would have caused the yaw and bank. Detailed examination of the helicopter’s flight controls did not reveal any anomalies. The reason for the yaw and bank could not be determined based on the available information. ## Factual narrative On July 4, 2019, about 2000 central daylight time, an MD 369-500E helicopter, N5277F, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident at Houston Hobby Airport (HOU), Houston, Texas. The commercial pilot was not injured, and his flight officer sustained minor injuries. The flight was being conducted as a public operations flight. After 1.5 hours of an uneventful flight, the pilot was positioning the helicopter to land on a helipad at its home base (HOU). The pilot reported that after checking the wind conditions, he made a normal approach to the helipad. About 5 to 10 ft above the ground, just before coming to a hover, the helicopter had a sudden uncontrollable yaw and bank to the right. The pilot felt the left skid impact the ground, and the helicopter rolled on its right side. Both the pilot and passenger exited the helicopter after it came to rest. The pilot reported that before the uncontrolled yaw and bank to the right, there was no sudden gust of wind, and he stated that he did not have input on the controls that would have caused the yaw and bank to the right. Detailed examination of the helicopter’s flight control systems did not reveal any mechanical anomalies. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5277F](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5277F), registered now, S/N 0587E, built 2008 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Md Helicopter 369 (E) - Registry model: [MD Helicopters 369E](https://openairdocs.org/model/md-helicopters-369e) (registry code 3030008) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rolls-Royce 250-C20B](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-250-c20b) (registry code 54385, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 0587E - Year built: 2008 - Airframe hours: 4306 - Engines: Rolls-Royc 250-C20B 420 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Public aircraft - local, Part 91 - Operator: Law Enforcement - Registered owner: City Of Houston - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 21, 2019 - Destination: Same as departure - Flight plan: Company VFR - Airport: HOU, Houston Hobby ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 62; injuries: none; commercial, private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 3,000 total, 2,800 in this make and model, 3 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 160° at 12 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 75 °F - Altimeter: 29.95 inHg - Observed at: HOU ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20190704009189A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190704009189A), Jul 4, 2019: Md Helicopters Inc 369E, Houston, TX, Substantial damage. The pilot was unable to control the helicopter descend speed and the helicopter experienced a hard landing and roll over. ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 26, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=99771. 3.6 MB in all. - NTSB form 6120 pilot operator report CEN19LA207 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 3.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13052888&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Form%206120%20Pilot%20Operator%20Report%20CEN19LA207_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot statement CEN19LA207 (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 54 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13053218&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%20Statement%20CEN19LA207_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Flight officer statement CEN19LA207 (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 57 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13052898&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Flight%20Officer%20Statement%20CEN19LA207_Redacted-Rel.pdf - FAA airworthiness inspector statement CEN19LA207 (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 81 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13053304&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20Airworthiness%20Inspector%20Statement%20CEN19LA207_Redacted-Rel.pdf 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. --- 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.