Mcdonnell Douglas 369D accident near Pearl City, Hawaii, September 8, 1995
On September 8, 1995 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Mcdonnell Douglas 369D (helicopter), registered N58388, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pearl City, Hawaii. It was a public-use flight under public-use (government) rules. 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to secure his cargo/personal belongings which departed from the aircraft and struck the tail rotor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 8, 1995 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Pearl City, Hawaii · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas 369D
- Registration
- N58388 · registry record · serial 200674D
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HELICOPTER PILOT WAS RETURNING TO THE HOME BASE AFTER SURVEYING A BRUSHFIRE. HIS ROUTE OF FLIGHT WAS ACROSS A MOUNTAIN RIDGELINE. JUST AFTER THE CROSSING, THE PILOT FELT A BUMP TO THE REAR OF THE HELICOPTER. A SEVERE VIBRATION WAS FELT IN THE TAIL ROTOR ANTITORQUE PEDALS. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO GUIDE THE HELICOPTER TO A SUITABLE LANDING AREA. UPON REACHING THE ONLY SITE AVAILABLE, THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO ROTATE ABOUT THE VERTICAL AXIS, LANDING HARD ON A RIDGELINE. THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING OPERATED WITH THE DOORS OFF AND THE PILOT'S FLIGHT JACKET WAS MISSING. LABORATORY ANALYSIS OF FIBERS FOUND ON A TAIL ROTOR BLADE MATCHED FIBERS FROM A STANDARD ISSUE FIRE DEPARTMENT JACKET SIMILAR TO THE PILOT'S JACKET THAT WAS MISSING.
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: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,188 hours in all; 1,052 in this make and model; 1,821 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,584 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 20, 1995; 70 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: HNL Honolulu HI at 9:45 pm
- Destination: HNL HI
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from HNL
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.
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.