Hughes H-269B accident near Northway, Alaska, July 17, 1985
On July 17, 1985 at about 2:15 am local time, a Hughes H-269B (helicopter), registered N9434F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Northway, Alaska. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 17, 1985 · about 2:15 am local time
- Place
- Northway, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes H-269B
- Registration
- N9434F · registry record · serial 45-0186
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED HE DEPARTED AND AFTER LIFTOFF BEGAN LOSING POWER. HE ATTEMPTED TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS WHEN THE ENGINE CHANGED SOUND DISTINCTIVELY TO A REDUCED POWER. HE ATTEMPTED LANDING ON A DOWNSLOPE AND TOUCHED DOWN WITH 5 TO 10 KNOTS OF FORWARD SPEED. UPON TOUCHDOWN THE HELICOPTER NOSED OVER. EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL CONTROLLER REVEALED DIRT AND DEBRIS BETWEEN THE CONTROLLER DIAPHRAMS.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,650 hours in all; 665 in this make and model; 221 in the last 90 days; 2,450 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,020 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 7, 1985; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Northway AK at 9:15 pm
- Destination: AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC85LA129.