Hughes 369D accident near Franklin, Tennessee, July 10, 1984
On July 10, 1984 at about 2:00 am local time, a Hughes 369D (helicopter), registered N52934, was destroyed in an accident near Franklin, Tennessee. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. 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 10, 1984 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Franklin, Tennessee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369D · all 369Ds on the register
- Registration
- N52934 · no longer on the register · serial 911065D
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT LANDED HARD & ROLLED OVER DURING AN EMERGENCY AUTOROTATION LNDG AFTER THE ACFT ENG EXPERIENCED A FLAME-OUT. THEACFT HAD EXPERIENCED A LOW FUEL WARNING LIGHT EARLIER IN THE FLT AND THE PLT HAD MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG AFTER WHICH HE AND THE PASSENGER CARRIED 2 FIVE GALLON CANS OF AUTOMOTIVE GASOLINE TO THE ACFT AND POURED THEM INTO THE JET HELICOPTER FUEL TANK. AFTER ENG START AND TAKEOFF FROM THE FARM FIELD THE ACFT CLIMBED TO 1800 FT AGL BEFORE 'SHUDDERING' WITH A SUBSEQUENT ENG FLAME-OUT. THE PLT MADE AN AUTOROTATION AND SAID HE 'THOUGH HE LOST DEPTH PERCEPTION' WHEN HE TURNED ON THE LNDG LIGHTS. THE HOBBS METER SHOWED 3.5 HRS FOR A SERIES OF 8 FLTS SINCE THE LAST REFUELING PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE AUTOMOTIVE GASOLINE USED BY THE PLT IS NOT AN APPROVED ALTERNATE FUEL FOR THIS ENG/ACFT.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,814 hours in all; 381 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 767 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 9, 1984; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Custom Aire,Inc.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 170° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:49 am from BNA, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.