Hughes 269B accident near Danville, Kentucky, October 26, 1986
On October 26, 1986 at about 9:50 pm local time, a Hughes 269B (helicopter), registered N9372F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Danville, Kentucky. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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
- October 26, 1986 · about 9:50 pm local time
- Place
- Danville, Kentucky · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269B 269-B · all 269Bs on the register
- Registration
- N9372F · no longer on the register · serial 87
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A LOCAL PLEASURE FLIGHT TO FILM THE COLOR CHANGE OF AUTUMN LEAVES, THE LOW FUEL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. APRX 2 MINUTES LATER THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND THE PILOT EXECUTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD. THE HELICOPTER LOST MAIN ROTOR RPM PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN, LANDED HARD AND ROLLED OVER RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
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: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 179 hours in all; 81 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 81 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,062 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 31, 1985; 62 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Nicholasville KY at 9:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,500 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:51 pm from LEX, 40 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.