Hughes 269C accident near Baltimore, Maryland, July 1, 1989
On July 1, 1989 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Hughes 269C (helicopter), registered N1113Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Baltimore, Maryland (Martin State 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 PILOT LANDED ON UNSUITABLE SOFT TERRAIN WHICH CAUSED THE LANDING SKID TO SINK INTO THE GROUND. THIS RESULTED IN A LANDING SKID OVERLOAD FAILURE AND NOSE OVER OF THE HELICOPTER. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE SOFT TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 1, 1989 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Baltimore, Maryland · Martin State
- 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
- N1113Z · no longer on the register · serial 1000972
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS AIR TAXIING AT 2 FT AGL WHEN THE INSTRUCTOR CUT THE POWER TO SIMULATE A POWER LOSS. ACCORDING TO THE STUDENT AND INSTRUCTOR, A NORMAL LANDING FOLLOWED; HOWEVER, THE ACFT NOSED OVER. UPON EXITING THE ACFT THEY NOTICED THEY HAD LANDED ON A DIRT MOUNT AND THE LEFT LANDING SKID HAD FAILED.
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, private
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,170 hours in all; 550 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 750 as pilot in command; 450 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,904 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 16, 1991; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-D1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:45 pm from MTN
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.