Hughes 269C accident near De Kalb, Illinois, March 22, 1989
On March 22, 1989 at about 10:01 pm local time, a Hughes 269C (helicopter), registered N8642F, was destroyed in an accident near De Kalb, Illinois. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE NUMBER FOUR CONNECTING ROD WHICH RESULTED IN AN ENGINE FAILURE. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE BROKEN RING IN THE NUMBER ONE PISTON AND A DETERIORATED CENTER MAIN BEARING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 22, 1989 · about 10:01 pm local time
- Place
- De Kalb, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269C 269-C · all 269Cs on the register
- Registration
- N8642F · no longer on the register · serial 614
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE RETURNING FROM A POWER LINE PATROL THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND AN AUTOROTATION WAS MADE INTO TREES. THE #4 CONNECTING ROD FRACTURED THROUGH THE BEARING STRAP ON ONE SIDE AND PUNCTURED A HOLE IN THE CRANKCASE. SAFETY BOARD METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED FATIGUE BEACH MARKINGS ON THE MAJORITY OF THE FRACTURE SURFACE. ADDITIONAL EXAMINATION SHOWED DETERIORATION OF THE CENTER MAIN BEARINGS AND THE FAILURE OF THE TOP RING ON THE #1 PISTON. THE RING FAILURE HAD WORN A GROOVE IN THE PISTON ALMOST THROUGH TO THE 2ND RING GROOVE. SPARK PLUGS WERE NORMAL EXCEPT FOR OIL DEPOSITS ON THE #1 CYLINDER PLUGS. PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD ADDED 3 QTS OF OIL DURING REFUELING DAY OF 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; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,553 hours in all; 1,400 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,023 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 5, 1989; 28 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO360D1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ARR Aurora IL at 9:30 pm
- Destination: RFD Rockford IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:45 pm from ARR, 16 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.