Mcdonnell Douglas Heli CO 369FF accident near Wikieup, Arizona, May 29, 2018
On May 29, 2018 at about 5:45 pm local time, a 1994 Mcdonnell Douglas Heli CO 369FF (helicopter), registered N975BW, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Wikieup, Arizona. It was an external-load flight under external-load helicopter rules (Part 133). 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
A vibration of the helicopter for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information, which resulted in a forced landing and the main rotor contacting the tailboom.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 29, 2018 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Wikieup, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas Heli CO 369FF FF, built 1994 · all 369FFs on the register
- Registration
- N975BW · registry record · serial 0103FF
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- External-load flight · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was performing external load operations in the helicopter when he felt a vibration during a left descending turn. The pilot increased the collective to arrest the rate of descent, but the vibration became more prominent. He subsequently performed a forced landing, during which the helicopter impacted the ground and a main rotor blade contacted and severed the tailboom. The pilot did not report any malfunctions with the engine nor any abnormal increase or decrease in main rotor rpm. Postaccident examination revealed a fractured drive link and a fractured strap pack assembly. Examination of the fractured surfaces revealed signatures consistent with tensile overstress, most likely from the blade contacting the left inlet fairing after the helicopter impacted the ground. There was no other evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation, and the reason for the vibration could not be determined based on the available information.
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
- Unknown or undetermined during maneuvering defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: instrument: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,973 hours in all; 1,040 in this make and model; 148 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 4,925 as pilot in command; 750 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 30, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,650.4 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 6, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls-Royce 250-C30 (turboshaft); 6,766 hours total
- Operator: Rogers Helicopters, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: IGM Kingman AZ at 12:30 pm
- Destination: Wikieup AZ
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 1:51 pm from KIGM, 35 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
Other NTSB records under N975BW 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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 WPR18LA152.