Hughes 269C accident near Charlotte, North Carolina, December 10, 1986
On December 10, 1986 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Hughes 269C (helicopter), registered N58188, was substantially damaged in an accident near Charlotte, North 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
- December 10, 1986 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Charlotte, North 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
- N58188 · no longer on the register · serial 380675
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE FLYING AT 300' TO 500' AGL ON A CABLE PATROL FLT, THE PLT HEARD A LOUD LOISE. THE ROTOR RPM STARTED TO DECAY & THE ENG RPM INCREASED SHARPLY. THE PLT INITIATED AN AUTOROTATION TO A PARKING LOT, BUT HAD TO MANEUVER TO AVOID TREES & A VEHICLE. THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN HARD ON THE RGT SKID, COLLAPSING THE SKID & DAMAGING THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES. AN INV REVEALED THE FORWARD COUPLING SPLINES ON THE LOWER PULLEY DRIVE SHAFT, PN 269A5559-3, HAD FAILED, EFFECTIVELY DISCONNECTING THE ENG FROM THE MAIN ROTOR. THE BOOT FOR RETAINING THE LUBRICANT IN THE SPLINE AREA WAS MISSING & THE SPLINE & RECEPTACLE WERE DRY OF LUBRICANT. THE ACDNT OCCURRED ABOUT 71 HRS AFTER THE COUPLINGS HAD BEEN REPACKED WITH LUBRICANT.
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, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,500 hours in all; 900 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,118 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 15, 1986; 58 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-D1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BUY Burlington NC at 5:00 pm
- Destination: 8A6 Charlotte NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 12,000 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:52 pm from CLT, 10 miles away
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.