Hughes 369E accident near Paxson, Alaska, February 10, 2003
On February 10, 2003 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Hughes 369E (helicopter), registered N500DX, was substantially damaged in an accident near Paxson, Alaska. It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain altitude/clearance from terrain. A factor contributing to the accident was the pilot's attention being diverted inside the cockpit to look at the global positioning system.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 10, 2003 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Paxson, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369E · all 369Es on the register
- Registration
- N500DX · no longer on the register · serial 0121E
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter pilot was conducting an aerial surveying flight over snow-covered terrain. During the survey operation, the pilot maneuvered the helicopter about 200 feet above ground level, while one of the passengers would drop stakes about every 800 feet along a property line. The pilot's attention was diverted inside the helicopter to monitor the global positioning system when the helicopter collided with terrain. The pilot said weather was not a factor in the accident. The helicopter impacted level terrain in a level attitude and rolled onto its side. The fuselage and rotor system received substantial damage.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,175 hours in all; 1,932 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: May 7, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,310.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 28, 2002; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls-Royce 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Delta Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: 11AK Delta Junction AK at 2:00 pm
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,500 ft; clear
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.