Hughes 269C accident near North Mankato, Minnesota, February 20, 1991
On February 20, 1991 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Hughes 269C (helicopter), registered N8955F, was destroyed in an accident near North Mankato, Minnesota. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FATIQUE FAILURE OF THE TAIL BOOM SUPPORT STRUT ATTACHMENT CLUSTER AND THE IMPROPER INSPECTION OF THE CLUSTER ATTACHMENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 20, 1991 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- North Mankato, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269C · all 269Cs on the register
- Registration
- N8955F · no longer on the register · serial 1120172
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING THE AERIAL OBSERVATION FLIGHT HE HEARD A LOUD NOISE FROM THE BACK OF THE HELICOPTER. THE HELICOPTER THEN BEGAN ROTATING CLOCKWISE AND DESCENDED TO IMPACT WITH THE TERRAIN IN A WOODED AREA. POST ACCIDENT IMSPECTION REVEALED A FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE TAIL BOOM SUPPORT STRUT CLUSTER FITTING (LEFT SIDE). AN AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE ISSUED IN 1976 CALLED FOR A DAILY VISUAL INSPECTION AND A 200 HOUR DYE PENETRANT INSPECTION OF THE FITTING. A LOGBOOK ENTRY DATE AUGUST 15, 1990, STATED ALL AD'S HAD BEEN COMPLIED WITH.
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: instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,244 hours in all; 38 in this make and model; 58 in the last 90 days; 34 in the last 30 days; 2,207 as pilot in command; 1,471 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-D1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Helicopter Flight, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: MKT Mankato MN at 3:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.