# Accident 19891229054279A: Hughes 369E, Santa Rosa, CA, December 29, 1989

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 29, 1989, 11:30 local time
- Place: Santa Rosa, CA
- Airport: Sonoma County
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: To Vertical (Helicopter Only)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.5309° N, 120.9598° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.5309&lon=-120.9598&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1604L, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1604L-2013-09-13) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 369E (registry code 3027369, https://openairdocs.org/model/mcdonnell-douglas-helicopter-369e) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Allison 250-C20 series (registry code 03020, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c20-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES 369E
- Reported engine: ALLSN 250C20
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 4,123 total, 57 in this make and model, 106 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX90FA060](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX90FA060) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19891229054279A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

LOST CONTROL ON CLIMBOUT WHEN CYCLIC STICK VIBRATED. 3 TURN SPIN TO GROUND. OVERGROSS. AFT CG. CYCLIC TRIM SWITCH.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX90FA060](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX90FA060), Dec 29, 1989: McDonnell Douglas 369E (N1604L), Santa Rosa, CA, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: THE PILOT'S IMPROPER PREFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION WHICH RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR EFFECTIVENESS. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT ALLOWING THE MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.