Mcdonnell Douglas 369D accident near Borrego Springs, California, October 27, 1987
On October 27, 1987, a Mcdonnell Douglas 369D (helicopter), registered N47861, was substantially damaged in an accident near Borrego Springs, California. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 4 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
- October 27, 1987
- Place
- Borrego Springs, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas 369D
- Registration
- N47861 · no longer on the register · serial 310915D
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS WERE FLYING AT LOW ALTITUDE OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN LOOKING FOR BIG HORN SHEEP. THIRTY MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT THE PILOT HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND THE TAIL YAWED LEFT. THE PILOT TURNED AWAY FROM THE MOUNTAIN TO LOOK FOR A PLACE TO LAND. THE ENGINE LOST ALL POWER. BECAUSE IT WAS NECESSARY TO STRETCH THE GLIDE TO REACH THE ONLY AVAILABLE LANDING SPACE, THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT ROTOR SPEED REMAINING TO CUSHION THE LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD, BREAKING THE RIGHT LANDING SKID AND ROLLING OVER ONTO ITS SIDE. EXAM OF THE ENG REVEALED THAT THE NO. 6 & 7 BEARINGS WERE FOUND TO HAVE FAILED DUE TO OIL STARVATION. THE REASON FOR THE OIL STARVATION COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.
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: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all; 4,000 in this make and model; 76 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 12,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,165 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 22, 1987; 96 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-L20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Desert Springs CA at 11:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 am from RIV, 70 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.