Hughes 269C accident near Jefferson, Maryland, September 25, 1990
On September 25, 1990 at about 2:35 pm local time, a Hughes 269C (helicopter), registered N1094D, was destroyed in an accident near Jefferson, Maryland. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM DUE TO A WORN TAIL ROTOR SPLINED DRIVE SLEEVE, AND INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE AND/OR INSPECTION BY THE OPERATOR. CONTRIBUTING TO THE LOSS OF CONTROL WAS THE STUDENT PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE ROTOR RPM DUE TO INEXPERIENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 25, 1990 · about 2:35 pm local time
- Place
- Jefferson, Maryland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269C · all 269Cs on the register
- Registration
- N1094D · no longer on the register · serial 600935
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO WITNESSES THE ACFT CAME APART IN THE AIR. RADAR DATA SHOWS THE ACFT AT 2600 FT WHEN IT TURNED ABOUT 35 DEGREES RIGHT IN ABOUT 4 SECONDS. THE ACFT SUSTAINED GENERAL DISINTEGATION. EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE SPLINES OF THE TAIL ROTOR SPLINED DRIVE SLEEVE WERE EXCESSIVELY WORN, RENDERING LOSS OF TRANSMISSION OF TORQUE TO THE TAIL ROTOR. TWO OTHER HU-269 ACFT HAD SIMILIAR WEAR OF THE SPLINED SLEEVE. 300-HR INSPECTION REQUIRES THAT THE UPPER PULLEY ASSEMBLY BE REMOVED AND INSPECTED, AND BEARINGS LUBRICATED. SCHWEIZER ACFT CORP HAD ISSUED SERVICE BULLETIN N-219 A MONTH BEFORE THE ACCIDENT WHICH REQUIRED RETORQUING OF THE SPLINE RETAINING NUT. HOWEVER, THE ACFT WAS WITHIN THE REQUIRED COMPLIANCE TIME, AND THE BULLETIN WAS NOT DONE.
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: student
- Flight time: 27 hours in all; 27 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 10 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-D1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: New Horizon Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: W16 Winchester VA at 2:00 pm
- Destination: FDK Frederick MD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
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.