Hughes 269A accident near Ft. Wayne, Indiana, April 23, 1986
On April 23, 1986 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Hughes 269A (helicopter), registered N8752F, was destroyed in an accident near Ft. Wayne, Indiana. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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 23, 1986 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Ft. Wayne, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269A · all 269As on the register
- Registration
- N8752F · no longer on the register · serial 52-0075
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
APPROX 10-15 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF THE STUDENT PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER AND CRASH LANDED INTO TREES. FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT, THE ONLY UNUSUAL THING FAA PERSONNEL COULD LOCATE WAS A FAILED HORIZONTAL STABILIZER SPAR. POST-CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE STABILIZER REVEALED THAT IT WAS A HUGHES PART EXTENSIVELY MODIFIED FOLLOWING MANUFACTURE BY PERSONS UNKNOWN. SEVERAL SKIN CRACKS ON THE STABILIZER HAD BEEN UNSUCCESSFULLY STOP DRILLED IN AN ATTEMPT TO STOP CRACK PROGRESSION. IN ADDITION, ALL SKIN TO SPAR RIVETS WERE NONSTANDARD.
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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 104 hours in all; 83 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 12 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 20, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FWA Garrett IN at 8:30 pm
- Destination: 3C2 Garrett IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.