Hughes 369 accident near Kaufman, Texas, February 26, 2021
On February 26, 2021 at about 9:30 pm local time, a 1979 Hughes 369 (helicopter), registered N58431, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Kaufman, Texas. It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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 maintain clearance from a power line during low-level maneuvering.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 26, 2021 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Kaufman, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369 D, built 1979 · all 369s on the register
- Registration
- N58431 · registry record · serial 1290647D
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the helicopter struck a power line while he pursued a small group of pigs during an aerial hunting flight. The helicopter was about 30 ft. above ground level when it struck an inactive power line running from a support pole to an abandoned farmhouse. The pilot executed a “quickstop” and landed normally in the field. Both power lines were cut, and the helicopter sustained substantial damage to one main rotor blade, one tail rotor blade, and the vertical stabilizer. There were no anomalies associated with the helicopter before the accident. According to the pilot, the operator had not previously conducted any flights at that location. He noted that, in the future, the operator will conduct a “recon of the area [and] not get below the tree line in an unfamiliar area.”
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
- Low altitude operation/event during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Awareness of condition
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,200 hours in all; 850 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 1,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 12, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 30,228.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 28, 2020
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Lone Oak TX at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from TRL, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on August 13, 2021. 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 | Accident Photos | PDF, 6 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 N58431 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.