Hughes 369D accident near Clarksburg, West Virginia, July 5, 1988
On July 5, 1988 at about 7:35 pm local time, a Hughes 369D (helicopter), registered N32CT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Clarksburg, West Virginia (Benedum airport). 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).
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
- July 5, 1988 · about 7:35 pm local time
- Place
- Clarksburg, West Virginia · Benedum · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369D · all 369Ds on the register
- Registration
- N32CT · registry record · serial 1193D
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT AND INSTRUCTOR PRACTICED SEVERAL MANEUVERS. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT THEY WERE DOING STRAIGHT-IN LANDINGS. THE STUDENT DID ONE LANDING AFTER A DEMO BY THE INSTRUCTOR. THE STUDENT WAS DOING HIS SECOND LANDING WHICH THE INSTRUCTOR DESCRIBED AS NOT EXCESSIVELY HARD AND WITHOUT BOUNCING. THE INSTRUCTOR SAID THE AIRCRAFT SLID ABOUT SIX FEET WHEN HE HEARD A NOISE. THE AIRCRAFT THEN SLOWLY TURNED ABOUT 120 DEGREES AND STOPPED. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THE MAIN ROTOR HAD STRUCK & SHEARED THE TAILBOOM ABOUT 3 FEET IN FRONT OF THE TAILROTOR GEAR BOX. THE INSTRUCTOR REPORTED NO EVIDENCE OF ANY MALFUNCTIONS AND THERE WAS NONE FOUND DURING THE EXAMINATION.
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, flight instructor, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,632 hours in all; 2,020 in this make and model; 108 in the last 90 days; 6,475 as pilot in command; 522 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,305 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 17, 1988
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Cng Transmission CORP
The flight
- Destination: CKB
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:39 pm from CKB
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.
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.