Hughes 269C accident near Center Village, Ohio, March 9, 1985
On March 9, 1985 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Hughes 269C (helicopter), registered N5125U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Center Village, Ohio (Agust Acres 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
- March 9, 1985 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Center Village, Ohio · Agust Acres
- 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
- N5125U · no longer on the register · serial 110097
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE THE STUDENT PLT PRACTICED HOVERING 8 TO 12 INCHES AGL THE HEEL OF THE RIGHT SKID CONTACTED THE GROUND. THE CFI STATED HE DID NOT NOTICE THE HELICOPTER DRIFTING OR DESCENDING BUT WHEN THE GROUND CONTACT WAS FELT HE TOOK OVER THE CONTROLS. UP COLLECTIVE AND LEFT CYCLIC WAS APPLIED BUT THE RIGHT SKID CONTACTED THE GROUND ONCE AGAIN. THE SKID DUG INTO THE SOFT SOD AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER TO THE RIGHT.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 54,523 hours in all; 1,057 in this make and model; 688 in the last 90 days; 49,279 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,860 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 18, 1984; 59 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-D1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CMH Columbus OH at 9:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from CMH, 12 miles away
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.