NTSB investigations: Hughes 269A

11 cases on aircraft the registry lists as Hughes 269A, where the first occurrence was “Hard landing”. Aircraft are matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model, so older matches can be wrong.

Cases per year

19842026
NTSB investigations: Hughes 269A per year, 1984–2026: 11 cases
19841
19861
19871
19881
19891
19961
19971
19981
20011
20021
20031

Latest cases

Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "SELECT c.\"ntsbNumber\", c.\"eventDate\", c.\"eventType\", c.\"eventCity\", c.\"eventStateOrRegion\", a.n_number, a.\"aircraftMake\", a.\"aircraftModel\", c.\"highestInjuryLevel\", c.\"totalFatal\", c.\"completionStatus\", c.report_url
  FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c.\"mKey\" AND a.position = 1
  WHERE c.\"mKey\" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.aircraft_model_code IN ('4470402')
      AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_occurrences.parquet' o WHERE o.case_mkey = x.case_mkey AND o.aircrafts_position = x.position AND o.\"occurrenceNumber\" = 1 AND o.\"occurrenceCode\" = 200))
  ORDER BY c.\"eventDate\" DESC, c.\"ntsbNumber\" DESC"

Prints the whole list as CSV. It reads the release’s Parquet files over HTTPS, so there’s nothing to download first. Install DuckDB to run it.

NTSB ATL04LA034Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportHughes 269A · Birmingham, ALThe certified flight instructor's inadequate aircraft control and his improper landing flare resulting in a hard landing and roll over.Nov 7, 2003 · N1015T · Substantial damageNTSB ATL02LA141Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportHughes HU-269-A · Hamilton, ALThe pilot's improper use of flight controls that resulted in an improper flare and a hard landing during a practice autorotation. A factor was the loss of rotor rpm.Jul 12, 2002 · N911LH · Substantial damageNTSB LAX01LA219Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportHughes 269A · Paso Robles, CAthe pilot's failure to maintain rotor rpm during a practice autorotational landing, which resulted in a hard landing.Jun 25, 2001 · N8724F · Substantial damageNTSB SEA98LA063Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportHughes 269A · Emmett, IDThe instructor pilot's failure to maintain the proper rate of descent on landing. Factors were a sudden wind shift, the instructor pilot's lack of recent experience, and terrain drop-off.Apr 10, 1998 · N5161E · DestroyedNTSB CHI97LA118Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportHughes 269A · Council Bluffs, IAfailure of the student pilot to maintain directional control, inadequate supervision by the flight instructor (CFI), and subsequent failure of the pilot(s) to properly flare the helicopter during a hover autorotation.Apr 27, 1997 · N1040S · Substantial damageNTSB NYC96LA086Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportHughes 269A · Linden, NJimproper flare by the pilot, and his failure to take proper corrective action after the helicopter touched down hard and entered ground resonance.Apr 19, 1996 · N8084E · DestroyedNTSB ATL89LA145Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportHughes 269A · Ozark, ALThe pilot's excessive use of the cyclic control and the misjudged flare during a practice touchdown autorotation.May 11, 1989 · N9049J · Substantial damageNTSB NYC88LA226Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportHughes 269A · Pittstown, NJThe CFI was demonstrating a departure autorotation to a prospective student. A high rate of descent with low airspeed and low rotor RPM developed and the CFI attempted a power recovery with no results. The acft touched down hard, the skids collapsed and the…Aug 21, 1988 · N7028V · Substantial damageNTSB ATL87LA256Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportHughes 269A · Morristown, TNOne CFI was demonstrating his procedures for autorotations with power recovery to his employer who was also a CFI. This was to insure standardization within the helicopter pilot school. The autorotation was entered from about 700 feet AGL to the departure…Sep 11, 1987 · N8709F · Substantial damageNTSB CHI86LA124Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportHughes 269A · Lowell, MIThe pilot had just completed two autorotations when he landed hard on the third. The main rotor flexed down severing the tailboom and tailrotor. Although the pilot had logged over 6000 hours flight time, he had only 51 hours total rotorcraft time. He had…Apr 12, 1986 · N8059H · Substantial damageNTSB LAX84LA260Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportHughes 269 · Mesa, AZThe acft landed hard during an autorotation demonstration by a CFI. During landing the rotor blades severed the tail andthe acft went into ground resonance. The CFI said he thought the acft lost transitional lift. He recommended not practicing autorotations…Apr 17, 1984 · N8773F · Substantial damage