Hughes 269A accident near Juneau, Alaska, July 15, 1999
On July 15, 1999 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Hughes 269A (helicopter), registered N8926F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Juneau, Alaska. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain rotor rpm, and an inadequately planned approach. A factor associated with the accident was a tailwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 15, 1999 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Juneau, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269A · all 269As on the register
- Registration
- N8926F · no longer on the register · serial 93-0293
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certificated commercial pilot said that he made a northerly approach to a 3,400 feet msl mountain top heliport. He said that as he approached his intended landing site, he increased collective pitch while slowing his approach airspeed, and the rotor rpm began to decay. The pilot stated that he was forced to hover over, and eventually touchdown on, an area of uneven terrain, about thirty feet short and downhill from his intended landing site. He said, in part: 'I was able to keep the toes of the skids on the uphill slope while trying to get my rpm back up. I rolled the throttle on and lowered the collective as much as I dared.' He said that in an attempt to reposition the helicopter, he increased collective pitch and applied left pedal input. The left skid impacted the ground, and the helicopter rolled over. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the rotor system, fuselage, and tail boom. The pilot reported that weather conditions at the time of the accident consisted of clear skies, visibility unlimited, gusty winds from the southeast at 10 to 15 knots, and temperature about 70 degrees F.
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; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 16,000 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 167 in the last 90 days; 46 in the last 30 days; 130 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,254 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 1998; 54 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,575 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JNU AK at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 100 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.