Hughes 500-D accident near Togiak, Alaska, May 22, 1991
On May 22, 1991 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Hughes 500-D (helicopter), registered N5314D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Togiak, Alaska. It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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 SECURE THE CARGO PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE ROUGH, UNEVEN TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 22, 1991 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Togiak, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 500-D
- Registration
- N5314D · registry record · serial 500716D
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING CRUISE FLIGHT, A SECURING ROPE CAME LOOSE AND WRAPPED ITSELF AROUND THE TAIL ROTOR PITCH CONTROL. DURING THE AUTOROTATION, GROUND CONTACT WAS MADE IN A LEVEL ALTITUDE, BUT THE HARD LANDING CAUSED THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES TO SEVER THE TAILBOOM.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 17,000 hours in all; 4,000 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 120 in the last 30 days; 16,500 as pilot in command; 3,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,517 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 15, 1991; 36 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DLG Dillingham AK at 1:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 98 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.