MD Helicopter MD 900 incident near Kamuela, Hawaii, December 28, 2008
On December 28, 2008 at about 1:50 am local time, a MD Helicopter MD 900, registered N902AF, suffered minor damage in an incident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Kamuela, Hawaii (Hapuna Heliport airport). It was a positioning flight 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
The separation of the endplate bolts for undetermined reasons, resulting in an in-flight separation of the right endplate. Contributing to the accident was the manufacturer's failure to provide sufficient guidance for endplate bolt installation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 28, 2008 · about 1:50 am local time
- Place
- Kamuela, Hawaii · Hapuna Heliport · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- MD Helicopter MD 900
- Registration
- N902AF · no longer on the register · serial 900-00023
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A witness informed the flight crew that the helicopter "lost a panel" during landing. Inspection of the helicopter revealed that the lower right stabilizer (endplate) separated and was located approximately 70 feet from where the helicopter landed. The endplate was later recovered; however, the two associated attachment bolts were not. Without the bolts, it could not be determined if the attachments were not properly torqued or if the bolts' locking mechanism was no longer serviceable. The operator reported that the endplate was removed approximately 42 flight hours prior to the incident to facilitate a maintenance action on the horizontal stabilizer. Following the maintenance action and inspection, the endplate was reinstalled using the original attachment bolts. The applicable maintenance manual instructions for endplate installation directed maintenance personnel to secure the endplate to the spar tube and torque bolts to a specified value; however, it did not direct maintenance personnel to apply sealing and locking compound to bolt threads prior to installation. Following the incident, the manufacturer issued a mandatory Service Bulletin requiring the inspection of endplate bolts for serviceability and application of thread locking compound.
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
What happened, in order
- Flight control sys malf/fail during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Empennage structure › Vertical stab attach fitting › Failure
- factor Organizational issues › Development › Manufacture/production › Document/info production › Manufacturer
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 14,000 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 13,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 23, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,500 hours in all; 1,700 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 9,500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 7, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,304 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, July 25, 2008; 87 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,250 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: P&W Canada PW206A (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: PW206A (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Vulcan Aircraft INC
The flight
- Departed from: Kona HI at 1:12 am
- Destination: Kamuela HI
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from PHKO, 23 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.