Hughes 369E accident near Indianapolis, Indiana, May 25, 1985
On May 25, 1985 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Hughes 369E (helicopter), registered N5219A, was destroyed in an accident near Indianapolis, Indiana. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. 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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 25, 1985 · about 4:00 pm local time · cases in 1985
- Place
- Indianapolis, Indiana
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369E · all 369Es on the register
- Registration
- N5219A · registry record · serial 0136E
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AS THE HELICOPTER WAS ON DOWNWIND FOR THE HELIPORT, THE PLT EXPERIENCED AN PWR INTERRUPTION AND EVENTUALLY A ENG FAILURE. HE WAS ATTEMPTING AN AUTOROTATION TO RAILROAD TRACKS WHEN HE SAW WIRES. HE MANAGED TO MISS THE WIRES BUT BY DOING SO HE EXPENDED THE ROTOR RPM AND CRASHED ONTO THE RAILROAD TRACKS AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER. INSPECTION REVEALED THE BYPASS HOSE FROM THE ENG FUEL PUMP FILTER TO THE FUEL FILTER PRESSURE SWITCH WAS TWISTED. THE FITTING ON THE FUEL FILTER WAS FOUND LOOSE AND COULD BE TURNED WITH FINGER PRESSURE.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,325 hours in all; 980 in this make and model; 1,568 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 45 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 7, 1985; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,550 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IND Indianapolis IN at 4:40 pm
- Destination: IN03 Indianapolis IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:51 pm from IND, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N5219A on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Hughes 369 500 series helicopters 123 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Hughes 386 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B 113 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Indianapolis International · departed from
- Alford Airpark · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in Indiana 1,367 since 1982 · 179 in the last ten years
- Indiana 5,704 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CHI85FA213.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.