Mcdonnell Douglas 369E accident near Gahanna, Ohio, October 9, 1986
On October 9, 1986 at about 7:41 pm local time, a Mcdonnell Douglas 369E (helicopter), registered N52705, was destroyed in an accident near Gahanna, Ohio. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 9, 1986 · about 7:41 pm local time
- Place
- Gahanna, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas 369E
- Registration
- N52705 · no longer on the register · serial 189E
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER HAD BEEN CONDUCTING A SERIES OF DEMO FLTS DURING THE DAY & WAS ON THE LAST SCHEDULED FLT OF THE DAY. TO DROP OFF THE LOCAL PLT WHO HAD REQUESTED THE DEMO FLTS, WHEN THE LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED. THEY HAD MADE A TAKE OFF OVER THE TAXIWAY & TURNED TO THE NORTH AS DIRECTED BY THE TWR. THEY WERE OVER A HOUSING AREA NORTH OF THE ARPT WHEN THE ENG OUT AND LOW ROTOR WARNING SYSTEM SOUNDED. THE LOCAL PLT, WHO HAD MADE THE TAKE OFF & WAS AT THE CONTROLS, TOLD THE DEMO PLT THAT HE WAS TO TAKE CONTROL OF THE ACFT. HE STATED THAT THE START BUTTON WAS ON THE LEFT SET OF CONTROLS. THE DEMO PLT WAS ABLE TO CLEAR THE HOUSING AREA BUT THE ACFT HIT VERY HARD IN THE MEDIAN OF A DIVIDED HIGHWAY. THE ACFT CROSSED THE SOUTH LANES AND STOPPED IN THE GRASS AT THE EDGE OF THE ROAD. IT WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE. EXAMINATION REVEALED A LOOSE 'B' NUT ON THE P/C LINE TO THE FUEL CONTROL UNIT.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 35 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 36 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 36 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: CMH Columbus OH at 7:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,400 ft; not recorded at 1,400 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:41 pm from CMH, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.