Hughes 269C accident near Aurora, Illinois, August 1, 1992
On August 1, 1992 at about 3:58 pm local time, a Hughes 269C (helicopter), registered N58335, was substantially damaged in an accident near Aurora, Illinois (Aurora Municipal airport). It was a personal 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
FATIGUE FRACTURE OF THE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT RESULTING IN LOSS OF POWER. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S EXCESSIVE DESCENT AND HIS LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 1, 1992 · about 3:58 pm local time
- Place
- Aurora, Illinois · Aurora Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269C · all 269Cs on the register
- Registration
- N58335 · no longer on the register · serial 390762
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT FELT A YAW, LOSS OF POWER AND DECREASE IN ROTOR RPM DURING CRUISE. HE TURNED TOWARD HOMEFIELD AND BEGAN A DESCENT. ENROUTE, THE ENGINE LOST POWER COMPLETELY, AND HE LANDED HARD IN AN OPEN FIELD. ENGINE EXAMINATION REVEALED THE CRANKSHAFT SEPARATED AT A FATIGUE FRACTURE THROUGH THE NUMBER FOUR ROD JOURNAL.
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: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 109 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 56 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,805 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 22, 1992; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-D1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ARR Sugar Grove IL at 3:50 pm
- Destination: ARR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 pm from ARR, 4 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.