Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 369 accident near Mesa, Arizona, July 9, 2024
On July 9, 2024 at about 4:35 pm local time, a 2012 Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 369, registered N540HH, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Mesa, Arizona. It was an instructional 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 receiving instruction’s failure to maintain helicopter control during autorotation, which resulted in a dynamic rollover. Contributing to the accident was the delayed remedial action from the flight instructor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 9, 2024 · about 4:35 pm local time
- Place
- Mesa, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 369 FF, built 2012 · all 369s on the register
- Registration
- N540HH · registry record · serial 0186FF
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that, the pilot receiving instruction entered a smooth and established autorotation. About 75 ft above ground level, the pilot receiving instruction began to slow the helicopter into a near- vertical decent. The flight instructor took the controls, leveled the helicopter, and it then contacted the ground. One of the skids dug into the sand, and the helicopter proceeded to roll over. During the accident sequence, the helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail boom, horizontal stabilizer, vertical stabilizer, and the fuselage. The operator reported that there were no preaccident failures or malfunctions that 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
- Autorotation Miscellaneous/other
- Autorotation Attempted remediation/recovery
- Dynamic rollover during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Autorotation Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,000 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 1,500 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 3, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (waiver time limited special)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, foreign licence
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 172 hours in all; 42 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 16 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 24, 2024
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 468.5 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 18, 2024; 35.9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls Royce 250-C30 (turboshaft); 466 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FFZ Mesa AZ at 3:30 pm
- Destination: FFZ Mesa AZ
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 100°F (38°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.85 inHg
- Observation at 9:47 am from KIWA, 6 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KIWA 091647Z 17007KT 10SM CLR 38/11 A2985
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Photo of all helicopter debris at the site
Photograph 2 – Forward fuselage photo of helicopter at the site
Photograph 3 – Top view of the helicopter at the siteThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on November 19, 2024. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Ip Written Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 4 pages · our copy | 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.