Hughes 269B accident near Minneapolis, Minnesota, May 7, 1988
On May 7, 1988 at about 5:25 pm local time, a Hughes 269B (helicopter), registered N9487F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were 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
- May 7, 1988 · about 5:25 pm local time
- Place
- Minneapolis, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269B · all 269Bs on the register
- Registration
- N9487F · no longer on the register · serial 270313
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS EXECUTING A DOWNWIND TAKEOFF, THE WINDS REPORTEDLY GUSTING TO 25 KNOTS, LOADED WITH TWO PASSENGERS, WHEN JUST AFTER TAKEOFF THE PILOT STATED THE HELICOPTER EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER. THE PILOT THEN ATTEMPTED TO EXECUTE AN AUTOROTATION, BUT DURING THE EMERGENCY DESCENT THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. AS A RESULT THE HELICOPTER STRUCK A MOVING VEHICLE WITH ITS TAIL ROTOR AND SUBSEQUENTLY COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. THE HELICOPTER WAS APPROXIMATELY 130 LBS UNDER GROSS WT AT THE TIME OF TAKEOFF. WHEN EXAMINED AND TESTED THE ENGINE OPERATED NORMALLY AND NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WERE FOUND. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE DID REVEAL THAT A FUEL NOZZLE HAD BEEN INSTALLED IN THE AIRCRAFT'S FUEL SYSTEM WITH A RESTRICTOR MISSING BUT TO COMPENSATE FOR THE MISSING RESTRICTOR THE FUEL SERVO IDLE MIXTURE WAS SET AT A VERY LEAN SETTING. THIS WAS DETERMINED NOT TO BE A FACTOR IN 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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,543 hours in all; 542 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 1,285 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,230 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 15, 1987; 47 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Behtel College MN at 5:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 17 knots, gusting 25
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from MSP, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N9487F 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.