Hughes 269C accident near Flint, Michigan, May 3, 1982
On May 3, 1982 at about 9:08 pm local time, a Hughes 269C (helicopter), registered N8963F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Flint, Michigan (Bishop 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 3, 1982 · about 9:08 pm local time
- Place
- Flint, Michigan · Bishop · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269C · all 269Cs on the register
- Registration
- N8963F · no longer on the register · serial 430200
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCREW WERE ON AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT TO PREPARE THE STUDENT, A RATED PILOT, FOR A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR RATING. AFTER PRACTICING SEVERAL AUTOROTATION APPROACHES, THE HELICOPTER WAS LANDED. THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT (IP) STATED THAT AFTER TOUCHDOWN, HE AND THE STUDENT WERE IN A DISCUSSION WHEN THEY HEARD A LOUD "POP". THE IP DEPLANED AND INSPECTED THE HELICOPTER, BUT FOUND NO IRREGULARITIES. THEY TOOK OFF AND PERFORMED ANOTHER AUTOROTATION. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE COLLECTIVE WAS LOWERED, THE HELICOPTER PITCHED LEFT AND FORWARD, AND THE ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED THE GROUND AND TAIL BOOM. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE LEFT FRONT SHOCK STRUT DAMPER ASSEMBLY, NO: 269A3150-5, HAD FAILED. TOTAL TIME ON THE PART WAS 3614 HRS. ACCORDING TO A METALLURIGICAL REPORT, A SINGLE OVERLOAD FRACTURE WAS FOUND AT THE CLEVIS ON THE PISTON END OF THE DAMPER. THE CFI DID NOT REPORT ANY HARD LANDINGS.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,540 hours in all; 180 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 4,234 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,614 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 645 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360D1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FNT Flint MI at 4:45 pm
- Destination: FNT Flint MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 7,850 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 14 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 160°F (71°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:29 pm from FNT
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.
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.