Hughes 269C accident near Louisville, Kentucky, September 1, 1982
On September 1, 1982 at about 1:20 pm local time, a Hughes 269C (helicopter), registered N8982F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Louisville, Kentucky (Standiford Field). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- September 1, 1982 · about 1:20 pm local time
- Place
- Louisville, Kentucky · Standiford Field
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269C · all 269Cs on the register
- Registration
- N8982F · no longer on the register · serial 0190
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING BEFORE TAKING OFF ON AN AERIAL TRAFFIC PATROL FOR A LOCAL RADIO STATION. HE WAS ISSUED A SPECIAL VFR CLEARANCE TO FOLLOW A PRE-ESTABLISHED ROUTE. HOWEVER, AFTER DEPARTING, HE ENCOUNTERED THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. HE RETURNED TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT AND HOVERED UNTIL THE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY SUBSIDED. AFTER ABOUT 30 MINUTES, THE PILOT DEPARTED AGAIN, BUT WAS UNABLE TO CONDUCT THE FLIGHT AS PLANNED. WITH THE WEATHER DETERIORATING, HE RECEIVED CLEARANCE TO ANOTHER AIRPORT. WHEN HE WAS ABOUT ONE MILE FROM THE AIRPORT, THE VISIBILITY WAS REPORT AS 1/2 MILE. HE REPORTED THAT WHEN HE WAS ABOUT 100 FT AGL, HE TURNED NORTHEAST INTO THE WIND TO GET CLOSE TO THE BOUNDRY ROAD AND FENCE AND TO GET VISUAL REFERENCES. ALSO, HE STATED THAT THE VISIBILITY THROUGH THE BUBBLE WAS DISTORTED BY THE HEAVY DOWNPOUR AND BUBBLE FOG. WHILE ATTEMPTING A HOVER LANDING, HE TOUCHED DOWN, TAIL LOW, MOVING REARWARD. THE REAR PART OF THE SKIDS AND THE TAIL ROTOR HIT THE GROUND AND CONTROL WAS LOST.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: balloon; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,883 hours in all; 2,102 in this make and model; 342 in the last 90 days; 7,476 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,094 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-D1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Helicopter INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Louisville KY at 6:50 am
- Destination: Louisville KY
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 19
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 17 knots
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,200 ft; scat at 700 ft
- Temperature: 160°F (71°C), dew point 0°F (-18°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.
Other NTSB records under N8982F the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.