Hughes 269A accident near Ozark, Alabama, May 11, 1989
On May 11, 1989 at about 1:20 pm local time, a Hughes 269A (helicopter), registered N9049J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ozark, Alabama (Blackwell Field). It was an instructional 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S EXCESSIVE USE OF THE CYCLIC CONTROL AND THE MISJUDGED FLARE DURING A PRACTICE TOUCHDOWN AUTOROTATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 11, 1989 · about 1:20 pm local time
- Place
- Ozark, Alabama · Blackwell Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269A · all 269As on the register
- Registration
- N9049J · registry record · serial 75-0345
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING HELICOPTER INSTRUCTIONAL FLT A STRAIGHT-IN TOUCHDOWN AUTOROTATION WAS ATTEMPTED. THE PLT SAID WITNESSES OBSERVED THE TAIL BOOM COME UP INTO THE TIP PATH PLANE. THAT EVENT USUALLY OCCURS WHEN TOUCH DOWN IS MADE ON THE HEEL OF THE SKIDS & THE MAIN ROTOR IS STILL PITCHED AFT BECAUSE OF CYLIC INPUT FOR THE LANDING FLARE. AS THE HELICOPTER ROCKS FORWARD AFTER THE HARD LANDING ON THE SKID HEEL, THE TAIL BOOM WILL BE SEVERED BY THE DISPLACED MAIN ROTOR. FOLLOWING THE TAIL BOOM SEPARATION THE HELICOPTER ROTATED ABOUT 120 DEGREES TO THE LEFT.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,761 hours in all; 299 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 37 in the last 30 days; 9,431 as pilot in command; 5,496 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,116 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 14, 1989; 141 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 4,200 ft by 80 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from DHN, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL89LA145.