# Accident 19990807012619A: Hughes 269C, Westport, OR, August 7, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 7, 1999, 21:30 local time
- Place: Westport, OR
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 46.0593° N, 123.2696° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.0593&lon=-123.2696&mi=10
- Aircraft: N383T, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N383T-2002-07-30) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Schweizer 269C (registry code 8059502, https://openairdocs.org/model/schweizer-269c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming HIO-360 series (registry code 41524, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-hio-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES 269C
- Reported engine: LYC HIO360D1A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 1,156 total, 86 in this make and model, 37 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA99FA168](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA99FA168) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990807012619A

## Narrative

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

SCHWEIZER 269C HELICOPTER WAS REPORTED MISSING AFTER IT TOOK OFF FROM OYSTERVILLE, OR, ON 8/8/99, AN ALNOT WAS ISSUED, BUT THE ALNOT AND SEARCH WERE CANCELLED AS OF 8/16/99, THE PILOT/SOLE OCCUPANT IS ASSUMED TO HAVE SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES, ALL OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (.19) ON AUGUST 7, 1999, A SCHWEIZER 269C HELICOPTER, N383T, FAILED TO ARRIVE AT ITS PLANNED DESTINATION OF KELSO-LONGVIEW AIRPORT, KELSO, WASHINGTON. THE PRIVATE PILOT, WHO WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT, IS ASSUMED TO HAVE RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES, AND THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT, IS ASSUMED TO HAVE BEEN DESTROYED. THE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL PLEASURE FLIGHT, WHICH WAS SEEN DEPARTING OYSTERVILLE, WASHINGTON AROUND 2030 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, WAS LAST SEEN AT 2115 PROCEEDING EAST ABOUT 150 FEET ABOVE THE COLUMBIA RIVER. AT THAT TIME IT WAS APPROXIMATELY THREE MILES EAST OF TONGUE POINT, A PENINSULA THAT PROTRUDES FROM THE SOUTH SHORE OF THE RIVER NEAR ASTORIA, OREGON. ALTHOUGH THE WEATHER WAS VFR BOTH AT THE POINT OF DEPARTURE AND THE INTENDED DESTINATION, ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WITH STRONG WINDS AND RAIN WERE REPORTED ABOUT FIVE MILES EAST OF THE HELICOPTERS LAST KNOWN POSITION.          (.4) THE HELICOPTER WAS DESTROYED AFTER IT COLLIDED WITH TREES AND TERRAIN AT NIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WERE REPORTED EN ROUTE, HOWEVER, PERSONS IN THE AREA NEAR THE CRASH SITE REPORTED ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN THE VICINITY.   ONE PERSON LIVING ABOUT 10 MILES FROM THE SITE NOTICED A RAGGED LOW CEILING, WITH APPROXIMATELY 200 TO 500 FEET VISIBILITY AT THE TIME IT WAS BECOMING DARK.  HE SAID THAT HE DIDN'T PAY ATTENTION TO THE WEATHER AFTER DARK, EXCEPT TO NOTE THAT THERE WERE RAIN SHOWERS.  HE MENTIONED THAT HE HAD FLOWN THE ANTICIPATED ROUTE MANY TIMES, AND THAT THE RIDGE WHERE THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED IS THE FIRST HIGH TERRAIN COMING EAST ALONG THAT ROUTE.

## 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 SEA99FA168](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA99FA168), Aug 8, 1999: Schweizer 269C (N383T), Westport, OR, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain. Factors include low clouds and visibility and near-night light conditions.

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.

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