Mcdonnell Douglas MD 369HS accident near Pacific Ocean, PO, March 11, 1997
On March 11, 1997, a Mcdonnell Douglas MD 369HS (helicopter), registered N95MS, was destroyed in an accident near Pacific Ocean, PO. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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
A loss of engine power due to a deteriorated compressor air seal, which resulted from inadequate maintenance inspection of the helicopter to detect corrosion in the compressor case while being operated in a marine environment.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 11, 1997
- Place
- Pacific Ocean, PO
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas MD 369HS
- Registration
- N95MS · registry record · serial 1130536
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter departed from a fishing vessel and lost partial engine power. The pilot stated he heard noise from the engine sounding like a compressor stall. The pilot regained power and attempted to return to the ship. On short final approach the helicopter lost power again and the pilot ditched the aircraft in the Pacific Ocean. The engine compressor section was examined and the compressor case plastic coating was found cracked with sections of the plastic missing, including the plastic sections between all of the fifth stage stator vanes. According to the engine manufacturer, loss of plastic can have an adverse effect on compressor performance. The engine manufacturer further indicated that corrosion was the most common cause of loss of the plastic coating. The missing plastic exceeded the quantity necessary to replace the compressor. The helicopter was immersed in salt water and it was not possible to determine the extent of corrosion on the compressor before the accident. The engine manufacturer specifies inspection of the compressor case should be made as necessary by the operating environment, but not to exceed every 300 hours.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,695 hours in all; 563 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 48 in the last 30 days; 6,370 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,037 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 30, 1996; 61 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 045° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N95MS 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.