Hughes 269C accident near Atlanta, Georgia, January 16, 1994
On January 16, 1994 at about 4:30 am local time, a Hughes 269C (helicopter), registered N8994F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Atlanta, Georgia. It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The inadvertent closing of the fuel shutoff valve by the pilot. A factor in the accident was the failure of the pilot to maintain rotor RPM during the autorotation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 16, 1994 · about 4:30 am local time
- Place
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269C · all 269Cs on the register
- Registration
- N8994F · no longer on the register · serial 830228
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT DEPARTED FOR A LOCAL FLIGHT AT 2320 ON A VERY DARK NIGHT. THE OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS 16 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. THE AIRCRAFT HEATER HAD BEEN PLACED IN THE AIRCRAFT THE PREVIOUS DAY. THE HEATER AND FUEL SHUTOFF ARE BOTH ACTIVATED BY PULLING THEIR RESPECTIVE CONTROLS ON THE CENTER CONSOLE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DID NOT USE THE AIRCRAFT HEATER FOR THE FLIGHT, AND DID NOT CLOSE THE FUEL SHUTOFF VALVE PRIOR TO OR FOLLOWING THE COLLISION. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE STOPPED PRODUCING POWER, AND THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE TERRAIN. THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING THE AUTOROTATION, HE OBSERVED THE ROTOR RPM TO BE BELOW THE RED LINE. THE AIRCRAFT FUEL SHUTOFF VALVE WAS FOUND TO BE IN THE CLOSED (PULLED OUT) POSITION AFTER THE COLLISION. RESCUE AND FIRE PERSONNEL STATED THAT THEY DID NOT CLOSE THE FUEL SHUTOFF VALVE FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE OPERATED WITHIN NORMAL OPERATING LIMITS DURING A TEST RUN FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,656 hours in all; 648 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 1,632 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,269 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 22, 1993; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-D1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 330° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 16°F (-9°C), dew point 1°F (-17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 am from FTY, 5 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.