Hughes 500D accident near Cantwell, Alaska, April 29, 1983
On April 29, 1983 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Hughes 500D (helicopter), registered N58229, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cantwell, Alaska. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 29, 1983 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Cantwell, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 500D
- Registration
- N58229 · no longer on the register · serial 480292D
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER SKID CONTACTED THE GROUND DURING A HOVERING TURN FOR LANDING AND ROLLED THE HELICOPTER OVER ON ITS RIGHT SIDE. THE PILOT HAD MADE AN APPROACH FOR LANDING TO A 10 FOOT HOVER AND THEN LOST SIGHT OF HIS REFERENCE POINT IN FRESH SNOW PICKED UP BY THE ROTOR SYSTEM. HE TURNED THE ACFT TO GET A NEW REFERENCE POINT. DURING THE TURN, HE STATED THAT HE LOST ALTITUDE AND NOTICED THE ACFT MOVING SIDEWAYS AND REARWARD. THEN BEFORE HE COULD CORRECT IN TIME, HE FELT THE RIGHT SKID MAKE CONTACT WITH SOMETHING AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,329 hours in all; 940 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 7,877 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 512 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 39 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,100 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: International Air Transport
The flight
- Departed from: Cantwell at 10:30 am
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 75 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.