# NTSB OAK79DVG13: Hughes 369C, N8696F, Montague, CA, February 16, 1979

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Closed
- Date: February 16, 1979
- Place: Montague, CA · MONTAGUE, CA
- Location: 41.7271° N, 122.5305° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Montague, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.7271&lon=-122.5305&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report March 28, 1979
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 137751
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=OAK79DVG13
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/OAK79DVG13

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-0174  79/2/16    MONTAGUE,CA         HUGHES 369C         CR-  0  0  1  NONCOMMERCIAL             COMMERCIAL, AGE 33, 6130
        TIME - 1545                    N8696F              PX-  0  0  0  PRACTICE                  TOTAL HOURS, 1565 IN
                                       DAMAGE-SUBSTANTIAL  OT-  0  0  0                            TYPE, NOT INSTRUMENT
                                                                                                   RATED.
        NAME OF AIRPORT - MONTAGUE-YREKA
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          MONTAGUE,CA                 LOCAL
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           HARD LANDING                                             LANDING: POWER-OFF AUTOROTATIVE LANDING
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - SELECTED UNSUITABLE TERRAIN
           TERRAIN - WET,SOFT GROUND
        REMARKS- DRNG LDG HELI WENT INTO MUD,CAME TO SUDDEN STOP,MR BLADES CUT OFF TAILBOOM.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N8696F](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8696F-2013-10-29), registration cancelled 2013-10-29, S/N 1250788S, built 1975 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES 369C
- Registry model: [Hughes 369HS](https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-369hs) (registry code 4470728) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Allison 250-C20 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c20-series) (registry code 03020, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Helicopter
- Engines: turbo shaft
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Airport: Montague-Yreka

## 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 19790216003009A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19790216003009A), Feb 16, 1979: Hughes 369HS, Yreka, CA, Substantial damage. Pilot was practicing autorotations. On landing acft stuck in mud. Main rotor blades cut off tail boom.

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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