Hughes 269A accident near Franklin Furnac, Ohio, March 21, 2008
On March 21, 2008 at about 3:15 pm local time, a Hughes 269A (helicopter), registered N9333V, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (descent) near Franklin Furnac, Ohio (Ashland Regional 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 fuel exhaustion during cruise flight and the unsuitable terrain encountered by the pilot-in-command. A contributing factor was the trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 21, 2008 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Franklin Furnac, Ohio · Ashland Regional Airport · 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
- N9333V · registry record · serial 53-0207
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter sustained substantial damage during a forced landing after a total loss of engine power during cruise flight. The helicopter was recently purchased by the left seat pilot, who did not hold a rotorcraft rating, and was being piloted by the right sear pilot at the time of the accident. The right seat pilot stated that he performed an autorotation on a hilltop, which was "sparsely populated" by 7-1/2 to 8 foot high trees. He also stated that the hilltop was the only available landing area, which was surrounded by "hostile" terrain. During the forced landing, the tail boom sustained damage on impact with trees. Examination of the helicopter revealed no usable fuel aboard.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute (descent) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Not specified
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › (general) › Not specified
- Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Fuselage › Rotorcraft tail boom › Damaged/degraded
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 16,387 hours in all; 275 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1
Dual student
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,746 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PHD New Philadelphi OH
- Destination: DWU Ashland KY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.