# NTSB CEN16LA303: Hughes 269A, N269JB, Morris, MN, July 29, 2016

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: July 29, 2016, 09:00 local (14:00 UTC)
- Place: Morris, MN
- Coordinates: 45.561111, -95.855003 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.5611&lon=-95.8550&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Maneuvering: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report June 20, 2017
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 93758
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN16LA303
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/93758/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=93758
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16LA303

## Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain due to his distraction by the navigation system.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Attention/monitoring: attention](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021510): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Hughes 269A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021510/cases.md?model=4470402), [All aircraft, 226 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021510/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Hughes 269A, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=4470402), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Hughes 269A, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md?model=4470402), [All aircraft, 1,310 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Maneuvering: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120) (defining event); cases with it: [Hughes 269A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120/sequence.md?model=4470402), [All aircraft, 1,074 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120/sequence.md)

## Analysis

During the aerial application flight, the commercial pilot was flying at 45 knots when he looked at his navigation system to ensure that he was on course. He felt the helicopter slow down and looked up to see that he had descended into the soybean field. The helicopter rotated 180° and came to rest on its right side, resulting in substantial damage. Postaccident examination of the wreckage did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the helicopter.

## Factual narrative

On July 29, 2016, about 900 central daylight time, a Hughes 269A helicopter, N269JB, was substantially damaged when it impacted crops and the ground near Morris, Minnesota. The pilot was not injured. The aerial application flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the flight. The local flight departed about 0800. According to the pilot, he was applying fungicide to a soybean field and was on his 4th load. He was flying to the east at 45 knots when he looked down at his navigation system, as he was maneuvering the helicopter for a spray pass, to ensure that he was on course. The helicopter felt as if it was being pulled towards the ground and slowed down. When the pilot corrected the tail of the helicopter entangled in the crop. The helicopter rotated 180°, descended to the ground, and came to rest on its right side resulting in substantial damage to the main rotor and the fuselage. The pilot stated that he used the DynaNav navigation system to control for drift and ensure the proper overlap of the product he was applying. He stated that he had flown with the system several times but was not overly familiar with it.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N269JB](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N269JB-2019-09-06), registration cancelled 2019-09-06, S/N 105-0395 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES 269A (1)
- Registry model: [Hughes 269A](https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-269a) (registry code 4470402) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming HIO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-hio-360-series) (registry code 41524, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Helicopter
- Serial number: 105-0395
- Year built: 1965
- Engines: LYCOMING HIO-360A1A 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Aerial application, Part 137
- Operator: Evan Anderson
- Registered owner: Evan Anderson
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, September 9, 2015
- Departed: Morris, MN
- Destination: Morris, MN
- Equipment: None

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 57; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review May 14, 2016; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 4,254 total, 62 in this make and model, 2,990 as pilot in command, 10 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 100° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observed at: KMOX

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20160729012449A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160729012449A), Jul 29, 2016: Hughes 269A, Morris, MN, Substantial damage. Pilot was doing agriculture spraying and was on his fourth load. While enroute to the field, pilot referenced his navigation system. While his attention was…

## Docket (1 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 21, 2017, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=93758. 3.0 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 3.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40451365&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF

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.

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