Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 600N accident near Adelanto, California, April 27, 2014
On April 27, 2014 at about 7:51 pm local time, a 1998 Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 600N, registered N606BP, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Adelanto, California (Adelanto airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The commercial pilot’s improper control inputs, which resulted in a loss of helicopter control during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 27, 2014 · about 7:51 pm local time
- Place
- Adelanto, California · Adelanto · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 600N, built 1998 · all 600Ns on the register
- Registration
- N606BP · no longer on the register · serial RN035
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The purpose of the flight was for the airline transport pilot (ATP) to evaluate and check out the commercial pilot in the helicopter. The commercial pilot reported that he was acting as pilot-in-command and at the controls. A witness reported that, as the helicopter lifted off, it initially tilted left. He added that he saw the commercial pilot increase pitch on the collective and that the helicopter then yawed right 90 degrees and tilted nose down. It left the ramp to the north of the property and then the whole fuselage continued banking left almost 90 degrees and spun nose right. The helicopter spun about three revolutions until it sounded like the engine power was reduced to flight idle. Once the power was reduced, the helicopter's nose dropped, and the main rotor blade contacted a fence pole, which caused it to suddenly stop and the helicopter to land hard, during which the right skid collapsed. The witness reported that he had flown the helicopter for 25 minutes before the accident and completed one takeoff and one landing. He stated that all of the controls responded as commanded during his flight. No evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures were found during the examination of the recovered airframe and engine. It is likely that the commercial pilot made improper control inputs and subsequently lost helicopter control immediately after liftoff. It could not be determined whether the ATP made corrective actions in an attempt to regain control because he was seriously injured and unable to make a statement.
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
- Loss of control in flight during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other person › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
Pilot (unmanned)
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,300 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 4,101 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C47 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 52CL Adelanto CA at 7:25 pm
- Destination: RNM Ramona CA
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 12 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from KVCV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | 1 | ||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N606BP 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 WPR14LA173.