No fatalities
6 May 2021: MCDONNELL DOUGLAS HELI CO 369FF — Summit Helicopters Inc. — Palm Gardens, NV
On 6 May 2021, a MCDONNELL DOUGLAS HELI CO 369FF operated by Summit Helicopters Inc. was involved in an aviation accident near Palm Gardens, NV. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s failure to maintain helicopter control during an encounter with a dust devil shortly after takeoff. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 13 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain helicopter control during an encounter with a dust devil shortly after takeoff.
— NTSB Determination
Contributing factors
Yaw control — Not attained/maintainedPilotResponse/compensation