MD Helicopter 369 accident near Chemehuevi Valley, California, September 22, 2020
On September 22, 2020 at about 8:24 pm local time, a 1974 MD Helicopter 369, registered N509CG, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Chemehuevi Valley, California (Chemehuevi Valley airport). It was a personal 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 pilot’s failure to maintain helicopter control during an approach with a gusting variable wind, which resulted in an impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 22, 2020 · about 8:24 pm local time
- Place
- Chemehuevi Valley, California · Chemehuevi Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- MD Helicopter 369 HS, built 1974
- Registration
- N509CG · registry record · serial 840634S
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, he was decelerating the helicopter while on approach to the runway with a gusting variable wind when the helicopter unexpectedly yawed to the right. He applied full left anti-torque pedal input to no avail, so he applied forward cyclic to increase forward airspeed, but the helicopter continued to spin clockwise. He immediately reduced power to land, but the left skid struck a bush and the helicopter impacted terrain and rolled over, coming to rest on its left side. The fuselage and the tail boom were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
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 landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,700 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 5,500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 29, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls-Royce 250-C18 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HII Lake Havasu City AZ at 8:00 pm
- Destination: 49X Lake Havasu City AZ
- Runway 16, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 99°F (37°C), dew point 44°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 1:24 pm from HII, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on August 20, 2021. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.