Hughes 269A accident near Council Bluffs, Iowa, September 24, 2002
On September 24, 2002 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Hughes 269A (helicopter), registered N1040S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Council Bluffs, Iowa (Council Bluffs Municipal 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 premature fracture of the cyclic/mixture bracket resulting in the inability to conduct a landing flare.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 24, 2002 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Council Bluffs, Iowa · Council Bluffs Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269A · all 269As on the register
- Registration
- N1040S · no longer on the register · serial 56-0534
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter landed hard despite cyclic being applied during an instructional flight in which a certified flight instructor (CFI) and a dual student, seeking a CFI certificate, were performing autorotations. Inspection of the wreckage revealed a fractured cyclic/mixture support attachment bracket. A major portion of the fracture surface contained a very dark discoloration. The discoloration was heavier on the forward side of the fracture, and there were portions of the fracture without discoloration on the aft side of the fracture. Prolonged ultrasonic cleaning in an acetone failed to remove significant amount of this discoloration. The discoloration covered more than 85 percent of the fracture surface. Examination of the fracture surface with a scanning electron microscope after cleaning revealed that the discolored areas had a rounded globular appearance, typical of casting porosity. Features typical of overstress separation were noted in areas without discoloration. The broken arm also contained a secondary crack that extended aft from near the forward edge.
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: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,043 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 66 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 1,924 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 30, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,747 hours in all; 814 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 5,454 as pilot in command; 429 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 18, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,383.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 27, 2002; 54.5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CBF Council Bluffs IA at 6:45 pm
- Destination: CBF
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 12 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 8:05 pm from CBF
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.
Other NTSB records under N1040S 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.