Hughes 269A (TH-55A) accident near Lakeville, Minnesota, March 29, 1986
On March 29, 1986 at about 8:50 pm local time, a Hughes 269A (TH-55A) (helicopter), registered N10415, was destroyed in an accident near Lakeville, Minnesota. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. 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 29, 1986 · about 8:50 pm local time
- Place
- Lakeville, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269A (TH-55A) 269A (TH-5 · all 269A (TH-55A)s on the register
- Registration
- N10415 · no longer on the register · serial 66-18347
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CFI REPORTED THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED DURING A DEMONSTRATION OF WIND EFFECT DURING TURNS AROUND A POINT. THE CFI REPORTED THAT AS THE HELICOPTER WAS TURNED DOWNWIND IT BEGAN DESCENDING FROM AN ALT OF APRX 200 FT AGL. IT CONTINUED IT'S DESCENT UNTIL THE RIGHT SKID CONTACTED THE TERRAIN AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER. STRONG, GUSTY WINDS WERE REPORTED AT THE TIME OF THE 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: 2,800 hours in all; 302 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,713 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 16, 1986; 73 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,900 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LVN Lakeville MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 20 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from MSP, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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 N10415 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.