Hughes 369A accident near Baltimore, Ohio, May 30, 2009
On May 30, 2009 at about 9:13 pm local time, a Hughes 369A (helicopter), registered N298SD, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Baltimore, Ohio (Industry Air Park airport). It was a personal 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's failure to attain a proper touchdown point, and his decision not to perform a go-around.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 30, 2009 · about 9:13 pm local time
- Place
- Baltimore, Ohio · Industry Air Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369A · all 369As on the register
- Registration
- N298SD · registry record · serial 280332
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot attempted a practice 180-degree autorotation to a grass airstrip during a personal flight. The helicopter overshot the grass airstrip and touched down in an area of uncut grass that contained a tractor tire rut. During touchdown, the helicopter turned sharply to the left and then snap-rolled to the right when the landing gear skid contacted the tire rut. The helicopter sustained damage to the tail boom and rotor blades resulting in substantial damage. The commercial pilot and passenger were uninjured.
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
What happened, in order
- Simulated/training event during maneuvering
- Autorotation Off-field or emergency landing
- Autorotation Attempted remediation/recovery
- Autorotation Landing area overshoot defining event
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,180 hours in all; 370 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 2,035 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 15, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,195 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 20, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C1B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Baltimore OH at 9:05 pm
- Destination: 38OH Baltimore OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,550 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.81 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from LHQ, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N298SD the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.