- Date
- November 9, 1989, 09:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Oklee, MN
- Injuries
- 2 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N9213FMcdonnell Douglas 369HS
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 1991
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19891109048149A
- Case key
- 34907
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
An undetermined power plant failure. Factors related to the accident were: the snow covered terrain, snow, and gusty wind.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot stated he was flying at 75 to 100 ft AGL due to snow when he heard a loud bang followed by illumination of the engine out light and the engine out audio. While maneuvering to a landing area the helicopter was hit by a gust of wind and the right skid dug into the ground and broke off, then the left skid broke off. The engine was examined and test run at the manufacturer's facility and exhibited no problem suggesting failure or malfunction.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9213F
- Reported as
- Mcdonnell Douglas 369HS
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 8406305
- Airframe hours
- 5,567
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20, 400 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Leland, Andrew
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · September 12, 1989 · 47 hours before
- Departed
- BJI · Bemidji, MN
- Destination
- Thief Rvr Falls, MN
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 40
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,460 total · 200 in this make and model · 3,295 as pilot in command · 60 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 100° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,200 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 27 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TVF, 88 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N9213F · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.