Hughes 369E accident near Grand Forks, North Dakota, August 14, 1990
On August 14, 1990 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Hughes 369E (helicopter), registered N841LA, was destroyed in an accident near Grand Forks, North Dakota (Sky Ranch Arpt 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 INSTRUCTOR PILOT'S (CFI'S) DELAY IN TAKING REMEDIAL ACTION AFTER HE AND/OR THE STUDENT FAILED TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT FOR A RUN-ON LANDING. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PROXIMITY OF THE BARRACADE AND THE STUDENT'S DELAY IN RELINQUISHING CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 14, 1990 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Forks, North Dakota · Sky Ranch Arpt
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369E · all 369Es on the register
- Registration
- N841LA · registry record · serial 0019E
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT (CFI) AND DUAL STUDENT WERE MAKING A RUN-ON LANDING WITH THE CFI RIDING THE CONTROLS AS THE DUAL STUDENT FLEW THE HELICOPTER. THE STUDENT WAS USING THE THROTTLE FOR YAW CONTROL. REPORTEDLY, HE ROLLED OFF TOO MUCH THROTTLE, AND THE CFI ANNOUNCED, 'I HAVE IT.' THE STUDENT WAS SLOW TO RELINQUISH AND THE CFI EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY ROLLING THE THROTTLE UP WITH THE STUDENT STILL ON THE CONTROLS. THE CFI INITIATED A FLARE, BUT THE TAIL ROTOR STRUCK A VEHICLE BARRICADE. THE BARRICADE WAS LOCATED NEAR THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY, AND IT PROJECTED ABOUT 12 INCHES ABOVE THE RUNWAY SURFACE.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,171 hours in all; 140 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days; 1,903 as pilot in command; 877 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GFK Grand Forks ND at 7:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 2,600 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:48 pm from GFK, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.