Mcdonnell Douglas MD369D accident near Beech Grove, Indiana, October 23, 1991
On October 23, 1991 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Mcdonnell Douglas MD369D (helicopter), registered N88SE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Beech Grove, Indiana. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE FLIGHT CONTROL LINKAGE DURING MAINTENANCE. COMPLACENCY AND INADEQUATE INSPECTION OF THE HELICOPTER BY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL AND THE PILOT ARE FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 23, 1991 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Beech Grove, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas MD369D
- Registration
- N88SE · registry record · serial 775D
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACCIDENT HELICOPTER EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF CYCLIC PITCH CONTROL DURING LIFTOFF TO A HOVER AT THE START OF A BUSINESS FLIGHT. THE HELICOPTER PITCHED UP, STRIKING THE TAIL ROTOR INTO THE GROUND AND THEN ROLLED ONTO ITS RIGHT SIDE. THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. ON SCENE INSPECTION OF THE WRECKAGE SHOWED A FLIGHT CONTROL LINKAGE DISCONNECT. THE MISSING BOLT WAS FOUND ON THE GROUND NEXT TO THE HELICOPTER. THE OTHER CONNECTING HARDWARE WAS NOT FOUND. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DID NOT NOTICE THE MISSING NUT DURING HIS PREFLIGHT INSPECTION.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 2,800 as pilot in command; 200 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,236 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 26, 1991; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Miami Valley Services
The flight
- Destination: NONE Richmond IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,100 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:51 pm from IND, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Other NTSB records under N88SE the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI92LA017.