Hughes 269C accident near Bexley, Ohio, March 13, 1989
On March 13, 1989 at about 12:20 pm local time, a Hughes 269C (helicopter), registered N300PP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bexley, Ohio. It was an other work-use 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 INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE FOLLOWING EVIDENCE OF PREVIOUS DAMAGE WHICH LED TO THE FAILURE OF THE NO. 1 CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 13, 1989 · about 12:20 pm local time
- Place
- Bexley, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269C · all 269Cs on the register
- Registration
- N300PP · no longer on the register · serial 900958
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT 500 FEET AGL WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT WITHOUT WARNING. AN AUTOROTATION WAS EXECUTED TO AN OPEN FIELD. THE TAILBOOM WAS SEVERED BY THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THE NO. 1 CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE FAILED.FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE ENGINE HAD BEEN DAMAGED PREVIOUSLY OVERSPED ABOUT 60 HOURS PRIOR THE EXHAUST VALVE FAILURE. ENGINE MAINTENANCE RECORDS CONTAINED NO EVIDENCE OF AN OVERSPEED INSPECTION BUT DID REVEAL THAT THE NO. 2 CYLINDER WAS REMOVED BECAUSE OF OIL FOULING. THE ENGINE WAS OPERATED TWO TENTHS OF AN HOUR AFTER REPLACEMENT OF THE CYLINDER AND SUFFERED FAILURE OF THE NO. 1 CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,360 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 3,000 as pilot in command; 2,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,951 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 1989; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-D1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2I4 Columbus OH at 12:05 pm
- Destination: 2I4
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 am from CMH, 14 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.