Hughes 269C accident near Blakely, Georgia, July 1, 1991
On July 1, 1991 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Hughes 269C (helicopter), registered N11017, was substantially damaged in an accident near Blakely, Georgia. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON, AND FAILURE OF THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT (CFI) TO FOLLOW PROCEDURES AND MAINTAIN ROTOR RPM.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 1, 1991 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Blakely, Georgia
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269C · all 269Cs on the register
- Registration
- N11017 · no longer on the register · serial 900964
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLT WAS FOR THE PURPOSE OF X-COUNTRY TRAINING. THE FLT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) CLOSED THE THROTTLE AT AN ALT OF ABT 900' AGL TO SIMULATE AN ENG FAILURE. DRG A SUBSEQUENT AUTOROTATION, ENG RPM WAS NOT MAINTD AT 2500 AS RCMDD BY THE PLT'S OPERG HANDBOOK (POH). THE STUDENT ALLOWED THE ROTOR RPM TO DETERIORATE DRG AN ATMTD PWR ON RECOVERY AT ABT 700' AGL AS HE DID NOT REALIZE THE ENG HAD STOPPED RUNNING. THE CFI ATMTD TO RESTART THE ENG AFTER TAKING CTL OF THE HELICOPTER AT ABT 700' AGL. THE STUDENT RPRTD THE ROTOR RPM REMAINED LOW DRG THE DSCNT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED IN A LARGE FLD. THE STUDENT STATED THAT THE HELICOPTER FELT AS IF IT JUST DROPPED THE LAST FEW FT OF THE AUTOROTATION. NO REASON WAS VERIFIED FOR THE LOSS OF ENG PWR. THE POH STATED THAT RPM SHOULD HAVE BEEN MAINTD DRG PRACTICE AUTOROTATIONS & THAT ENG RESTARTS SHOULD NOT BE ATMTD BELOW 2000' AGL.
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: instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,319 hours in all; 175 in this make and model; 95 in the last 90 days; 49 in the last 30 days; 1,274 as pilot in command; 783 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,844 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 27, 1991; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-D1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Flight Safety International
The flight
- Departed from: ABY Albany GA at 3:30 pm
- Destination: DHN Dothan AL
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:00 pm from ABY, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.