Hughes 269A accident near Lowell, Michigan, April 12, 1986
On April 12, 1986 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Hughes 269A (helicopter), registered N8059H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lowell, Michigan (Lowell City 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
- April 12, 1986 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lowell, Michigan · Lowell City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269A · all 269As on the register
- Registration
- N8059H · no longer on the register · serial 36-0489
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD JUST COMPLETED TWO AUTOROTATIONS WHEN HE LANDED HARD ON THE THIRD. THE MAIN ROTOR FLEXED DOWN SEVERING THE TAILBOOM AND TAILROTOR. ALTHOUGH THE PILOT HAD LOGGED OVER 6000 HOURS FLIGHT TIME, HE HAD ONLY 51 HOURS TOTAL ROTORCRAFT TIME. HE HAD RECEIVED HIS COMMERCIAL HELICOPTER RATING SIX MONTH PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. HE HAD LOGGED 2.5 HOURS HELICOPTER TIME IN THE PREVIOUS 180 DAYS.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,000 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 52 in the last 90 days; 6,082 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,015 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 1,550 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 24C Lowell MI at 4:00 pm
- Destination: 24C Lowell MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 1,900 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from GRR, 9 miles away
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.
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.