MD Helicopter 600 accident near Windhoek, Outside the U.S., July 16, 2020
On July 16, 2020 at about 8:30 am local time, a 1997 MD Helicopter 600, registered V5HVD, was destroyed in an accident during approach near Windhoek, Outside the U.S.. It was flown under foreign airline rules (Part 129). 3 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 16, 2020 · about 8:30 am local time
- Place
- Windhoek, Namibia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- MD Helicopter 600 N, built 1997
- Registration
- V5HVD · no longer on the register · serial RN 005
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight · foreign airline rules (Part 129)
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Unknown or undetermined during approach defining event
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Not recorded
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check 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.