Mcdonnell Douglas 269B accident near Braceville, Illinois, August 2, 1988
On August 2, 1988, a Mcdonnell Douglas 269B (helicopter), registered N9522F, was destroyed in an accident near Braceville, Illinois. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
CONDUCTING MANEUVERING FLIGHT THE PIC FAILED TO MONITOR THE HELICOPTER SYSTEMS AND ALLOWED THE MAIN ROTOR RPM TO DECAY TO THE POINT WHERE IT WOULD NOT PRODUCE ENOUGH LIFT TO SUSTAIN FLIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 2, 1988
- Place
- Braceville, Illinois
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas 269B
- Registration
- N9522F · no longer on the register · serial 58-0364
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 178 hours in all; 178 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 137 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,112 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 18, 1988
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sportflight Helicopter INC.
The flight
- Departed from: ARR Aurora IL
- Destination: ARR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: not reported
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N9522F 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.