- Date
- April 8, 1989, 11:10 local (18:10 UTC)
- Place
- Long Beach, CA
- Injuries
- 2 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N9456FHughes 269B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 15, 1991
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890408006969A
- Case key
- 26373
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 in-flight planning/decision by the pilot, which led to an inadequate supply of fuel to reach the airport and subsequent fuel exhaustion. The pilot's lack of flight time in this make and model of helicopter was considered to be a factor.
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 flt began with about 20 gal of fuel in the acft's 30 gal fuel tank. About 1.7 hrs later, as the plt was returning to land, he reported a 'slight fuel situation.' About 2 min later, the eng lost power. Subsequently, the acft was damaged as the plt was making an emergency landing on a street about 1/4 mi from the arpt.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9456F
- Reported as
- Hughes 269B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 16-0233
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360-A1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Novo Helicopter Service
- Registered owner
- Unknown
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- LGB
- Destination
- LGB
- Airport
- LGB · Daugherty Field
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
- 40
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 183 total · 8 in this make and model · 8 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Observed at
- LGB
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N9456F · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.