Mcdonnell Douglas Heli Co 369FF accident near Marana, AZ
On January 31, 2011, a Mcdonnell Douglas Heli Co 369FF (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Marana, AZ. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- January 31, 2011
- Place
- Marana, AZ
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas Heli Co 369FF · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 2 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 32.351°N, 111.476°W
- NTSB ID
- 20110131X92536
Official records · WPR11GA115
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On January 31, 2011, about 1115 mountain standard time, a McDonnell-Douglas 369FF helicopter, N530RL, was substantially damaged during an attempted pinnacle landing on Waterman Peak near Marana, Arizona. The pilot received fatal injuries, two passengers received serious injuries, and one passenger received minor injuries. The public-use flight was operated by the Pima County Sheriff's Department (PCSD) in support of the Pima County Wireless Integrated Network (PCWIN) communications development project. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the flight. The purpose of the flight was to enable PCWIN personnel to conduct a site survey for the planned installation of a communications repeater tower. The helicopter departed Tucson International Airport (TUS), Tucson, Arizona, about 1050, with the PCSD pilot in the left front seat, two Pima County employees in the right front and rear seats, and a private contractor in the left rear seat. Initially, the flight was in communication with, and being tracked by, TUS local and TRACON air traffic control (ATC) facilities as it headed for the peak, located about 30 miles west-northwest of TUS. Communications were intentionally terminated by the helicopter once it was well clear of TUS airspace. The helicopter orbited Waterman Peak counterclockwise approximately twice, for general reconnoitering, before the attempted landing. The pilot's selected landing zone (LZ) was on a relatively level area of a pinnacle on the northeast side of the mountain. The approach was from the southeast.
Probable cause
An inadvertent tail rotor strike during an attempted pinnacle landing, which resulted in the pilot's loss of control of the helicopter. Inhospitable terrain/topography contributed to the severity of the accident.
More accidents in AZ
- De Havilland DHC-6-300, Sep 27, 1989
- Cessna 402C, Jun 19, 1992
- Piper PA-31-350, Aug 17, 1983
- Piper PA-31-350, Feb 13, 1995
- Cessna 421C, Sep 2, 1995
Browse: Arizona
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
