Hughes 269C accident near Laurens, South Carolina, August 11, 1986
On August 11, 1986 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Hughes 269C (helicopter), registered N7442F, was destroyed in an accident near Laurens, South Carolina. It was an aerial observation 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
- August 11, 1986 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Laurens, South Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269C · all 269Cs on the register
- Registration
- N7442F · no longer on the register · serial 460498
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS FLYING AN UNDERGROUND CABLE PATROL AT 500-600 FT AGL WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE PLT REPORTED PWR WAS SET AT 20' HG, 3,000 RPM WHEN A 'VERY LOUD POP' WAS HEARD. THE PLT LIKENED THE SOUND TO BEING HIT BY GROUND FIRE. THE ACFT YAWED AND THE ENG OVERSPED. AN AUTOROTATION WAS PERFORMED INTO AN ABANDONED MINING PIT. THE ACFT NOSED UP AND ROLLED OVER ON ITS RIGHT SIDE. THE PLT STATED THAT THE ENG WOULD RESPOND TO THROTTLE BUT THE MAIN ROTOR WOULD NOT FOLLOW PWR CHANGES. THE MAIN ROTOR TRANSMISSION TO HAVE A RING GEAR CARRIER FAILURE. AD 81-1704 AND RELATED SERVICE NOTICE CONCERNING THIS PART HAD NOT BEEN COMPLIED WITH.
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; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 160 in this make and model; 160 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,157 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 19, 1986; 94 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-01A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GRD Greenwood SC at 3:30 pm
- Destination: CLT Charlotte NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 25 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,700 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.