Hughes 369D accident near West Liberty, Ohio, July 29, 2014
On July 29, 2014 at about 8:51 pm local time, a 1981 Hughes 369D (helicopter), registered N89ZC, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near West Liberty, Ohio. It was an external-load flight under external-load helicopter rules (Part 133). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power, which resulted from fuel exhaustion due to the pilot’s failure to adequately monitor the fuel quantity during the flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 29, 2014 · about 8:51 pm local time
- Place
- West Liberty, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369D, built 1981 · all 369Ds on the register
- Registration
- N89ZC · no longer on the register · serial 1098D
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- External-load flight · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot was using an aerial saw to trim trees when the accident occurred. As the helicopter was going through a tree line, the engine lost power, and it then descended into trees and terrain. A postaccident examination of the helicopter revealed that no fuel was present in either the fuel tank or in the engine fuel line. When electrical power was applied to the helicopter after the accident, the fuel quantity indicator showed that the fuel tank was empty. The helicopter was topped off with fuel before the accident flight, and it had been flown 1 hour 50 minutes before the accident. The operator stated that the fuel tank holds 62.4 gallons, and the pilot reported that the helicopter consumes about 30 gallons per hour. It is likely that the pilot did not adequately monitor the fuel quantity during the flight, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
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
- Loss of engine power (total) during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Loss of control in flight during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 11,490 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model; 240 in the last 90 days; 11,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 15, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Rotor Blade LLC
The flight
- Departed from: West Liberty OH at 7:01 pm
- Destination: West Liberty OH
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,700 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 8:30 pm from EDJ, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on July 19, 2016. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Ohio State Highway Patrol Report | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Record of Conversations | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N89ZC 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.