Hughes 269B accident near Toulon, Illinois, May 25, 1994
On May 25, 1994 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Hughes 269B (helicopter), registered N9375S, was destroyed in an accident near Toulon, Illinois (Dwain Webster Farm airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the improper reassembly of the main rotor blade dampers and the underservicing of the landing gear skid hydraulic struts which resulted in ground resonance of the helicopter when the first takeoff after reassembly was attempted.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 25, 1994 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Toulon, Illinois · Dwain Webster Farm · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269B · all 269Bs on the register
- Registration
- N9375S · no longer on the register · serial 54-0091
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER HAD BEEN REASSEMBLED AFTER AN ANNUAL INSPECTION, WITH INSTALLATION OF 3 OVERHAULED MAIN ROTOR BLADES. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE DAMPERS HAD BEEN DISASSEMBLED, INSPECTED AND REASSEMBLED. DURING REASSEMBLY, THE INTERNAL SEQUENCE OF FRICTION DISCS WAS INCORRECT, RESULTING IN IMPROPER AND NON- UNIFORM DAMPING ACTION BETWEEN THE BLADES. THE SHOCK STRUT OLEOS WERE NOT SERVICED. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED LOW PRESSURE IN THE 3 REMAINING INTACT STRUTS. DURING THE FIRST TAKEOFF AFTER REASSEMBLY TO TRACK THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES IN A HOVER, THE HELICOPTER ENCOUNTERED GROUND RESONANCE AND WAS DESTROYED.
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: 1,306 hours in all; 1,295 in this make and model; 1,250 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,669 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 19, 1994; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 8 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 11:30 pm
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.
Other NTSB records under N9375S the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.