MD Helicopters MD-369 N1601Y

Summary

On 3 September 2018 at about 19:00 local time, a MD Helicopters MD-369 registered N1601Y was involved in an accident near Orchard Lake, Michigan, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

3 September 2018 at 19:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Orchard Lake, Michigan, United States

Nearest airport

McPhail Heliport (7MI1)

Coordinates

42.5722, -83.3950

Aircraft

MD Helicopters MD-369

Registration

N1601Y

Category

Helicopter

Year built

1987

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Orchard Lake → Orchard Lake

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN18LA365

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain helicopter control and terrain clearance while in a hover after performing an evasive maneuver to avoid wildlife.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The helicopter departed from a wheeled helicopter transportation dolly at the pilot's private heliport and came to an in-ground-effect hover. The pilot indicated that as he was maneuvering the helicopter to the right of the dolly at a hover, a flock of Canada geese "came flying in to the front and right" of the helicopter. The pilot reported "quickly moving" the helicopter back to the right to avoid the birds; that was the last action he could remember until after the impact. The helicopter came to rest on its left side with the main rotor blades separated from the main rotor hub and the tail rotor gearbox separated from the tailboom. The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot's private heliport was near a lake where Canada geese are known to congregate. It is likely that, while in a hover and attempting to avoid the birds by performing an evasive maneuver, the pilot failed to maintain helicopter control and terrain clearance.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.