Mcdonnell Douglas 369E accident near Niagara Falls, New York, July 19, 2001
On July 19, 2001 at about 7:40 pm local time, a Mcdonnell Douglas 369E (helicopter), registered N577DB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Niagara Falls, New York. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The right skid getting snagged on the helicopter-dolly resulting in dynamic rollover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 19, 2001 · about 7:40 pm local time
- Place
- Niagara Falls, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas 369E
- Registration
- N577DB · no longer on the register · serial 0381E
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter came to a hover over a helicopter-dolly in preparation for landing. The wind was to the front right of the helicopter as the pilot lowered the collective. As the helicopter touched down, the pilot felt that the right skid was not properly situated on the dolly. When he increased collective to reposition the helicopter, it rolled to the right, and impacted the ground. About 15 minutes after the accident, a weather facility located approximately 3 miles to the southeast of the accident site, recorded the wind as 8 knots. According to FAA AC 90-87, if a rolling moment is allowed to develop while one skid is in contact with the ground, a helicopter can exceed its critical rollover angle, and roll onto its side. The pilot had approximately 2,200 hours of total flight experience, all of which was in turbine helicopters, and about 200 hours of that was in the accident helicopter make and model.
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: 2,217 hours in all; 226 in this make and model
- Last flight review: May 23, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,588.4 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 11, 2001; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IAG Niagara Falls NY at 7:30 pm
- Destination: Niagara Falls NY
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; a few clouds at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from IAG, 3 miles away
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.