Hughes 369HS accident near Antonia, Missouri, November 19, 1993
On November 19, 1993 at about 9:46 am local time, a Hughes 369HS (helicopter), registered N9179F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Antonia, Missouri. It was a public-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE. A FACTOR WAS THE DARK NIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 19, 1993 · about 9:46 am local time
- Place
- Antonia, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369HS · all 369HSs on the register
- Registration
- N9179F · no longer on the register · serial 140554S
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE MANEUVERING DURING A NIGHT FLIR TRAINING OPERATION, THE HELICOPTER DESCENDED BELOW THE PLANNED MANEUVERING ALTITUDE AND INADVERTENTLY CONTACTED THE TERRAIN. WITNESSES DESCRIBED THE PILOT'S REACTION TO THE INADVERTENT TOUCHDOWN AS AN ABRUPT RECOVERY WITH A STEEP RIGHT TURN INTO TREES. THE HELICOPTER THEN ROLLED INVERTED AND IMPACTED THE TERRAIN. NO MECHANICAL FAILURE/MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRFRAME, POWERPLANT, OR FLIGHT CONTROLS WAS FOUND.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,091 hours in all; 220 in this make and model; 125 in the last 90 days; 32 in the last 30 days; 2,461 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,154 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 12, 1993; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SUS St. Louis MO at 7:30 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,400 ft; not recorded at 1,400 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 am from SUS, 10 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.