Mcdonnell Douglas 369 accident near Barstow, California, November 17, 1989
On November 17, 1989 at about 5:19 pm local time, a Mcdonnell Douglas 369 (helicopter), registered N1097G, was destroyed in an accident near Barstow, California. It was an other work-use flight under external-load helicopter rules (Part 133). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, AND HIS DELAY IN JETTISONING THE LOAD.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 17, 1989 · about 5:19 pm local time
- Place
- Barstow, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas 369
- Registration
- N1097G · registry record · serial 800757D
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT BEGAN THE EXTERNAL SLING LOAD OPERATION-STRINGING WIRE CONDUCTORS - ABT 1 HR AND 15 MIN BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. AFTER FLYING 1 HR AND 5 MIN THE PILOT LANDED AND REFUELED THE HELICOPTER AT A LANDING AREA 2 MI WEST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. AFTER REFUELING HE DEPARTED ON THE ACCIDENT FLT. VIDEO TAPE SHOWED THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO HOVER OVER THE TRANSMISSION STANCHION WITH THE CONDUCTOR ATTACHED TO THE LONG LINE. THE CONDUCTOR BECAME ENTANGLED WITH THE STANCHION'S CROSS BAR AND THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO CLIMB WITH THE CONDUCTOR ATTACHED AND ENTANGLED WITH THE CROSSBAR. THE HELICOPTER THEN BEGAN TO SPIN TO THE LEFT IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE AND CRASH.
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: 572 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 89 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,350 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 2, 1989; 64 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,500 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Helicopters International
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Freemans Junc. CA at 5:09 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 LAX90LA033.