Mcdonnell Douglas 369E accident near Bloomfield, NM
On May 2, 2000, a Mcdonnell Douglas 369E (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Bloomfield, NM. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- May 2, 2000
- Place
- Bloomfield, NM
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas 369E · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 36.709°N, 107.970°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001212X20970
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On May 1, 2000, approximately 1810 mountain daylight time, a McDonnell Douglas 369E, N1606K, registered to and operated by Winco, Inc., of Molalla, Oregon, struck a static line and impacted terrain 6 miles southeast of Bloomfield, New Mexico. The commercial pilot and passenger were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at a nearby staging area approximately 1800. According to company personnel and other sources, the helicopter had been used for fiber optic cable installation support operations along the U.S. Highway 550 corridor earlier that day. The helicopter landed next to a company fuel truck at a job site approximately 20 miles south-southeast of Farmington, New Mexico, and approximately 12 miles west-southwest of the accident site. There the helicopter was refueled. The pilot told the driver he and his passenger were returning to Four Corners Regional Airport in Farmington. Shortly after it departed, an oilfield worker, investigating the source of a smoke plume, found the burning wreckage of the helicopter and notified authorities. A severed power line was found nearby. The accident occurred during the hours of daylight at a location of 36 degrees, 60.46 minutes north latitude, and 107 degrees 93.66 minutes west longitude, at an elevation of 5,500 feet msl (above mean sea level). PERSONNEL (CREW) INFORMATION The pilot, age 48, held a commercial pilot certificate, dated May 16, 1990, with airplane single engine land
Probable cause
The pilot's intentional buzzing (low level flying), and his failure to maintain clearance with the static wire. A factor was his physical impairment by a contraindicated drug controlled substance.
More accidents in NM
- Gates Learjet 25D, Sep 5, 1993
- Piper PA-32-300, Dec 26, 1982
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- Cessna 421C, Feb 11, 1985
- Beech 58, Mar 26, 1982
Browse: New Mexico · Mcdonnell Douglas aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
