Mcdonnell Douglas 369HS accident near Pacific Ocean, PO, November 23, 2001
On November 23, 2001 at about 2:09 pm local time, a Mcdonnell Douglas 369HS (helicopter), registered N4265D, was destroyed in an accident near Pacific Ocean, PO. It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A dynamic roll over due to the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection and failure to ensure that all tiedowns were removed. A factor in the accident may have been the lack of clear communications between the pilot and the shipboard helper assigned as the helicopter ground crewman.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 23, 2001 · about 2:09 pm local time
- Place
- Pacific Ocean, PO
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas 369HS
- Registration
- N4265D · registry record · serial 430464S
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
As the pilot began to lift the fish spotting helicopter off a helipad on a tuna fishing vessel, it rolled off the right side of the ship. The rotor blades hit the side of the ship and the helicopter entered the water inverted and sank. The operator stated that the probable cause was that the right side tiedowns and the APU cable were not removed by the shipboard helper prior to the pilot attempting to liftoff. The pilot reported to the operator that he believed he had checked the tiedowns before getting in the helicopter's left seat, but that it was also hard to see the right-hand side of the aircraft on the pad. The operator also noted that the shipboard helper is a Chinese national who does not speak English well and that communications between the two may not have been good.
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: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,495 hours in all; 2,059 in this make and model; 109 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: June 18, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,660 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 2, 2001; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison T63-A-720 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Pacific Ocean at 2:09 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.