- Date
- June 17, 1989, 20:45 local (Jun 18, 1989, 01:45 UTC)
- Place
- Lockport, IL
- Injuries
- 3 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N26628Hughes 269C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890617016079A
- Case key
- 14255
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Improper flight technique by the PIC during a takeoff from a confined area.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot of the accident helicopter failed to climb high enough to clear obstructions before starting his acceleration to level flight during a takeoff from a confined area for a sightseeing flight. During the initial climb, the accident helicopter struck a tree with the main rotor blades. The helicopter then descended out of control and struck a house, wires, and another tree before impacting terrain and rolling on its left side. The flight was one of a series of scenic flights conducted by the operator from a temporary landing site at a carnival.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N26628
- Reported as
- Hughes 269C
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1100992
- Airframe hours
- 3,085
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360, 190 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Part 91
- Registered owner
- Eagle Air Helicopter, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 13, 1989 · 19 hours before
- Departed
- Lockport, IL
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 41
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,549 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ARR
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.