Mcdonnell Douglas 369E accident near Phoenix, Arizona, March 19, 1987
On March 19, 1987 at about 4:20 pm local time, a Mcdonnell Douglas 369E (helicopter), registered N1601Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Phoenix, Arizona. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. 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
- March 19, 1987 · about 4:20 pm local time
- Place
- Phoenix, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas 369E
- Registration
- N1601Y · no longer on the register · serial 0216E
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING FACTORY FLT TRAINING, PRIOR TO DELIVERY OF THE NEW HELICOPTER TO THE OWNER, THE CFI SAID HE ASKED THE STUDENT TO PERFORM A SERIES OF EMERGENCY PROCEDURES WHICH INCLUDED QUICK STOPS FROM AN INITIAL TAKEOFF FOLLOWED BY HOVERING AUTOROTATIONS. THE CFI SAID THE STUDENT SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED ONE SERIES OF MANEUVERS AND HE ASKED HIM TO DO ONE MORE. THE CFI SAID THAT DURING THE DECELERATION PHASE OF THE QUICK STOP, THE STUDENT MISTAKENLY 'ROLLED THE THROTTLE TO THE IDLE POSITION' AT ABOUT 25 FT AGL. THE CFI SAID THAT HE IMMEDIATELY ASSUMED CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, ROLLED THE THROTTLE TO THE FULL OPEN POSITION AND ATTEMPTED TO ENTER AN AUTO ROTATION, HOWEVER, INSUFFICIENT ENERGY REMAINED IN THE ROTOR TO FULLY ARREST THE DESCENT RATE PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,530 hours in all; 2,821 in this make and model; 49 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 5,162 as pilot in command; 767 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 10, 1987; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FFZ Mesa AZ at 3:35 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 pm from DVT, 7 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.
Other NTSB records under N1601Y the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.