Mcdonnell Douglas 269A accident near Harvard, Nebraska, August 7, 1991
On August 7, 1991 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Mcdonnell Douglas 269A (helicopter), registered N48298, was substantially damaged in an accident near Harvard, Nebraska. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE ROTOR RPM DURING AERIAL APPLICATION MANEUVERS. A RELATED FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S INATTENTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 7, 1991 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Harvard, Nebraska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas 269A
- Registration
- N48298 · no longer on the register · serial 6618313
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED HE PULLED UP AFTER A SPRAY PASS AND TURNED TO REVERSE DIRECTION. HE REPORTED HE NOTED A DETERIORATION IN ROTOR RPM, AND HIS REMEDIAL ACTION 'RESULTED IN AN IMMEDIATE AND RAPID RATE OF DESCENT...THE HELICOPTER HIT THE GROUND...TURNED TO THE RIGHT AND ROLLED OVER.' THE PILOT STATED HE DID NOT PAY SUFFICIENT ATTENTION TO THE FLIGHT, HE WAS PREOCCUPIED AND DID NOT MAINTAIN ROTOR SPEED.
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; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,400 hours in all; 409 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 5,000 as pilot in command; 125 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HI0360B1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Jims Agri Air
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Sutton NE at 1:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°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.