# NTSB LAX04CA122: McDonnell Douglas 369FF, N630N, Mesa, AZ, February 12, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: February 12, 2004, 11:55 local (18:55 UTC) - Place: Mesa, AZ - Coordinates: 33.460834, -111.728332 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.4608&lon=-111.7283&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 28, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 58741 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX04CA122 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/58741/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=58741 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04CA122 ## Probable cause the pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind gusts and subsequent failure to maintain directional control of the helicopter, which resulted in a hard landing. A contributing factor was a wind gust. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - weather condition - gusts (contributing factor) - autorotation - initiated, pilot in command(cfi) - compensation for wind conditions - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - misc rotorcraft,main rotor/tail boom contact ## Analysis The helicopter's main rotor blades struck the tail boom following a hard landing. The pilot was demonstrating full-touchdown, practice autorotations for a potential customer. Before touching down, about 2 feet above ground level, the helicopter encountered a gust of wind and the nose turned 45 degrees to the left. The pilot applied right pedal pressure to counteract the sudden drift, but was unable to get the helicopter back on centerline. During touchdown, the helicopter landed hard and skidded about 4 feet until it came to rest without incident. A few seconds later, the pilot heard a loud noise. The main rotor blades had collided with the tail boom. The pilot did not report any mechanical problems with the helicopter prior to the accident. ## Factual narrative On February 12, 2004, about 1155 mountain standard time, a MDHI 369FF, N630N, experienced a main rotor blade strike to the tail boom following a hard landing at Falcon Field Airport (FFZ), Mesa, Arizona. The helicopter was owned and operated by MDHI under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The certified flight instructor and passenger receiving a flight demonstration were not injured; the helicopter sustained substantial damage. The local instructional flight departed FFZ about 1125. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a company flight plan had been filed. In a written statement, the pilot reported that he had successfully completed four full-touchdown practice autorotations. On the fifth attempt, the entry and decent were normal. Before touching down, about 2 feet above ground level, he raised the collective in an effort to cushion the landing. The helicopter encountered a gust of wind and the nose turned 45 degrees to the left. He applied right pedal pressure to counteract the sudden drift, but was unable to get the helicopter back on centerline. During touchdown, the pilot lowered the collective about halfway in an effort to reduce ground slide, while at the same time inputting a small amount of forward cyclic pressure to avoid the main rotor contacting the tail boom. The helicopter landed hard and skid about 4 feet until it came to rest without incident. A few seconds later, the pilot heard a loud noise. The main rotor blades had collided with the tail boom. The pilot did not report any mechanical problems with the helicopter prior to the accident. An aviation routine weather report (METAR) for FFZ at 1145, reported winds from 040 degrees at 10 knots and visibility at 50 statute miles. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N630N](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N630N), registered now, S/N 0004F, built 1984 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: McDonnell Douglas 369FF - Registry model: [Hughes 369F](https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-369f) (registry code 4470708) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rolls-Royce 250-C47 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-250-c47-series) (registry code 54235, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 0004F - Engines: Rolls-Royce 250 C-47M turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: MD Helicopters, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: FFZ, Mesa, AZ - Destination: FFZ, Mesa, AZ - Flight plan: Company VFR - Airport: FFZ, Falcon Field Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 54; commercial; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2; flight hours: 12,636 total, 71 in this make and model, 101 in the last 90 days, 47 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day ## 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 20040212001669A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040212001669A), Feb 12, 2004: Hughes 369FF, Mesa, AZ, Substantial damage. (-23) Mister turchetta a test pilot for MD helicopters was giving a turkish police officer dual instruction in N630N a MD 600 (MD369FF) prior to their… ## Other investigations on N630N (2) 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 LAX97LA061](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX97LA061), Nov 21, 1996: McDonnell Douglas MD-600N (N630N), Flagstaff, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inattention to the altitude and inadvertent late entry into an autorotation maneuver below the established minimum test altitude with a helicopter operating at maximum gross weight in a… - [NTSB LAX97LA034](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX97LA034), Nov 4, 1996: McDonnell Douglas MD-600 (N630N), Flagstaff, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: An uncommanded main rotor blade to tail boom contact due to a 'blowback' phenomena after a successful preplanned autorotation by the pilot to a high density altitude airport with a test aircraft… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 8, 2004, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=58741. 317 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 317 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40389976&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.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.