Hughes 500D accident near Rensselaer, Indiana, May 13, 1984
On May 13, 1984 at about 6:10 pm local time, a Hughes 500D (helicopter), registered N8352F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rensselaer, Indiana. It was a business 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 13, 1984 · about 6:10 pm local time
- Place
- Rensselaer, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 500D
- Registration
- N8352F · no longer on the register · serial 1260066D
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
HARD FORCED LANDING MADE AFTER LOSS OF PWR AT CRUISE ALT OF 500 FT AGL. MAIN ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED TAIL BOOM. EXAMINATION DISCLOSED FUEL PUMP GEARS SHOWED SIGNS OF CORROSION. GEAR TEETH AND END FACES WERE SEVERLY ETCHED AND PITTED. BRONZE PARTICLES WERE FOUND IN FUEL NOZZLES AND FUEL SCREEN. ACFT REPORTEDLY SAT IDLE FOR 3 MONTHS BEFORE ACCIDENT.
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: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 12,025 hours in all; 3,850 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,620 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 10, 1984; 14 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: RZL Rensselaer IN at 5:55 pm
- Destination: LAF Lafayette IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 25 knots, gusting 35
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from LAF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 N8352F 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.