Hughes 369HS accident near Paducah, Kentucky, February 15, 1983
On February 15, 1983 at about 7:14 pm local time, a Hughes 369HS (helicopter), registered N3280K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Paducah, Kentucky (Barkley Regional airport). It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- February 15, 1983 · about 7:14 pm local time
- Place
- Paducah, Kentucky · Barkley Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369HS 369 HS · all 369HSs on the register
- Registration
- N3280K · no longer on the register · serial 990 122S
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED DURING AN AUTOROTATION INTO AN OPEN FIELD AFTER A CHIP DETECTOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CHIP LIGHT IS USED FOR DETECTING METAL IN THE TRANSMISSION, ENGINE AND TAIL ROTOR GEAR BOX. EXAMINATION OF THE TRANSMISSION REVEALED METAL PARTICLES ON THE PLUG WHICH WERE FROM THE TRIPLEX BEARING. THE TRANSMISSION WAS STILL CAPABLE OF OPERATION AND SUSTAINING FLT ACCORDING TO THE FAA EXAMINER. ONE WITNESS SAID THE ACFT WAS EMPTY OF FUEL WHEN EXAMINED ATTHE SCENE. WHEN QUESTIONED ABOUT FUEL EXHAUSTION THE PLT SAID HE DRAINED THE FUEL ABOARD THE ACFT IN PREPARATION FOR MOVING IT.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,107 hours in all; 402 in this make and model; 138 in the last 90 days; 5,912 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250C-18A (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FTY Marrietta GA
- Destination: PAH Paducah KY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.