Hughes 269A accident near Moultrie, Georgia, September 27, 1983
On September 27, 1983 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Hughes 269A (helicopter), registered N8751F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Moultrie, Georgia. 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
- September 27, 1983 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Moultrie, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269A · all 269As on the register
- Registration
- N8751F · registry record · serial 52-0073
- 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 ACFT LANDED HARD DURING AN AUTOROTATIONAL FORCED LANDING AFTER ENGINE STOPPAGE. THIS WAS AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLT IN VMC WEATHER. REPORTEDLY THE ENGINE QUIT AT 100 FT AGL OVER TREES WHILE THE PLT WAS TRYING TO LAND TO RELOAD. AFTER THE POWER LOSS A HARD LANDING WAS MADE. THE PILOT SAID HE HAD ADDED 10 GALLONS OF FUEL TO THE ACFT JUST 30 MINUTES PRIORTO THE ENGINE STOPPAGE. THE ACFT LOADER SAID THERE WAS NO FUEL ON THE ACFT AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE PLT WHEN QUESTIONED LATER SAID HE THOUGHT THE ENGINE FAILED FROM FUEL EXHAUSTION.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,160 hours in all; 190 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 1,160 as pilot in command; 11 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 30 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1983; 90 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,550 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Avco Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°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.