Hughes 269B accident near Summerville, South Carolina, July 29, 1983
On July 29, 1983 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Hughes 269B (helicopter), registered N9419F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Summerville, South Carolina. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 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
- July 29, 1983 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Summerville, South Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269B · all 269Bs on the register
- Registration
- N9419F · no longer on the register · serial 65-0206
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING USED IN CONTROLLED BURNING OF TIMBERLAND. WHILE BEING OPERATED AT AN ALT OF APRX 20 FT OVER WIND ROWS OF ORGANIC MATERIAL, THERE WAS A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENG POWER. THE PLT STATED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN A HOVER, SO HE LANDED ON THE ROUGH TERRAIN. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER & THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED THE GROUND, DURING AN EXAM OF THE ENG, ALL 8 SPARK PLUGS WERE FOUND WITH EVIDENCE OF LEAD FOULING. IN THE #4 CYLINDER, THE ELECTRODES OF THE BOTTOM PLUG WAS COMPLETELY BRIDGED WITH LEAD. THE PLT STATED THAT THE TOP PLUG IN THAT CYLINDER WAS DIRTY WITH CARBON.
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: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 13,120 hours in all; 990 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 12,950 as pilot in command; 11 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,877 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, December 8, 1982; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 61J Summerville SC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 88°F (31°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.