# NTSB WPR20LA323: MD Helicopter 369, N509CG, Chemehuevi Valley, CA, September 22, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: September 22, 2020, 13:24 local (20:24 UTC) - Place: Chemehuevi Valley, CA · Desert - Coordinates: 34.528889, -114.43197 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.5289&lon=-114.4320&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 102059 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR20LA323 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/102059/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102059 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20LA323 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain helicopter control during an approach with a gusting variable wind, which resulted in an impact with terrain. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [MD Helicopters 369HS, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=3030012), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Wind: gusts](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation; cases with it: [MD Helicopters 369HS, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md?model=3030012), [All aircraft, 1,199 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/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: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [MD Helicopters 369HS, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=3030012), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that, he was decelerating the helicopter while on approach to the runway with a gusting variable wind when the helicopter unexpectedly yawed to the right. He applied full left anti-torque pedal input to no avail, so he applied forward cyclic to increase forward airspeed, but the helicopter continued to spin clockwise. He immediately reduced power to land, but the left skid struck a bush and the helicopter impacted terrain and rolled over, coming to rest on its left side. The fuselage and the tail boom were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N509CG](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N509CG), registered now, S/N 840634S, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: MD HELICOPTER 369 (HS) - Registry model: [MD Helicopters 369HS](https://openairdocs.org/model/md-helicopters-369hs) (registry code 3030012) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Allison 250-C20](https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c20) (registry code 03080, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 840634S - Year built: 1974 - Engines: Rolls-Royce 250-C18 turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: HII, Lake Havasu City, AZ - Destination: 49X, Lake Havasu City, AZ - Airport: 49X, Chemehuevi Valley, runway 16, 5,000 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 53; injuries: none; airline transport; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review February 29, 2020; seat: right; flight hours: 5,700 total, 7 in this make and model, 5,500 as pilot in command, 100 in the last 90 days, 35 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 99 °F, dew point 44 °F - Altimeter: 29.89 inHg - Observed at: HII, 5 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20200922016829A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200922016829A), Sep 22, 2020: Md Helicopters Inc 369HS, Needles, CA, Substantial damage. On 09/23/2020 at approximately 1300 hours, N509CG, an MD helicopters 369HS helicopter, departed the lake havasu airport for a familiarization flight in the… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 20, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102059. 3.3 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 642 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12609243&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Point%20One-Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 2, PDF, 4 pages, 2.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12555973&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR20LA323%20Photos.dotx-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.