Mcdonnell Douglas H369 accident near Panama City, Florida, July 21, 1995
On July 21, 1995 at about 3:26 pm local time, a Mcdonnell Douglas H369 (helicopter), registered N129BC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Panama City, Florida (Panama City-Bay County airport). 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot-in-command's improper aft application of cyclic control during a simulated touchdown autorotation on landing flare touchdown, resulting in the main rotor blades colliding with the tail boom assembly. Contributing to the accident was the improper supervision of the pilot-in-command by the check pilot.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 21, 1995 · about 3:26 pm local time
- Place
- Panama City, Florida · Panama City-Bay County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas H369
- Registration
- N129BC · registry record · serial 67-16214
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot-in-command (PIC) was demonstrating a 180-degree autorotation with turn to a certified flight instructor (CFI). He entered the maneuver at about 900 feet agl, and a flare was initiated at about 50 feet agl. Initial collective pitch application was made at about 10 feet agl, and cushioning collective pitch was made at about 2 to 3 feet agl. The helicopter touched down slightly nose high, slid forward, and started to turn to the right. The PIC applied aft cyclic to the left and heard a loud noise as the helicopter came to a stop. The CFI felt the cyclic being moved rearward, but made no attempt to take the flight controls from the PIC. Visual examination of the helicopter revealed the main rotor blades had collided with the tailboom assembly.
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: 521 hours in all; 193 in this make and model; 129 in the last 90 days; 44 in the last 30 days; 450 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison T63A700 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PFN at 2:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 4,888 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 81°F (27°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:48 pm from PFN
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 N129BC the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 MIA95TA188.