Hughes 369D accident near Fairbury, Illinois, May 26, 1982
On May 26, 1982 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Hughes 369D (helicopter), registered N8348F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fairbury, Illinois. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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 26, 1982 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Fairbury, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369D · all 369Ds on the register
- Registration
- N8348F · registry record · serial 1260051D
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING FLIGHT, THE N2 AND NR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO 110 PERCENT. THE PILOT EVENTUALLY SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE AND MADE AN AUTOROTATION. AN OPEN FIELD WAS SELECTED FOR A LANDING SITE; HOWEVER, IT WAS MUDDY WITH STANDING WATER. THE PILOT DECIDED ON A FULL STOP LANDING RATHER THAN A SLIDE-ON LANDING TO AVOID A NOSE OVER. DURING TOUCHDOWN, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES FLEXED DOWNWARD AND SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THERE WAS SAND AND ALUMINUM HYDROXIDE CORROSION IN THE TURBINE GOVERNOR, PN 2524706-3. ALSO, SOME CORROSION AND FOREIGN MATERIAL WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL CONTROLUNIT, PN 2524644-1. BOTH UNITS HAD 2.5 HRS OF OPERATION SINCE THEY WERE INSTALLED ON THIS AIRCRAFT. AN INSPECTION OF THEGOVERNOR SHOWED THAT THE PG CHANNEL IN THE DRIVE BODY WAS COMPLETELY BLOCKED. THIS BLOCKAGE WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN AN ENGINE OVERSPEED OF UP TO 112 PERCENT. THE GOVERNOR HAD BEEN SALVAGED FROM A HELICOPTER THAT HAD BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT IN BRAZIL. THE CORROSION WAS INDICATIVE OF LONG TERM EXPOSURE TO THE ENVIRONMENT.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: instrument helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,813 hours in all; 806 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 4,725 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,312 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Fairbury IL at 2:00 pm
- Destination: Fairbury IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 149°F (65°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.