Hughes 369HS accident near Custer, South Dakota, August 18, 1994
On August 18, 1994 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Hughes 369HS (helicopter), registered N74AW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Custer, South Dakota. 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
the pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain on which to perform an autorotation. A factor in this accident was the hidden obstruction.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 18, 1994 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Custer, South Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369HS · all 369HSs on the register
- Registration
- N74AW · registry record · serial 1250790S
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS PRACTICING AUTOROTATIONS IN HIS HELICOPTER. DURING HIS SECOND AUTOROTATION THE HELICOPTER'S SKID COLLIDED WITH A ROCK CAUSING THE HELICOPTER TO ENTER GROUND RESONANCE. THE PILOT SAID THE HELICOPTER'S ROTOR BLADES BEGAN '...GYRATING OUT OF THE NORMAL PATH...' STRIKING THE AIRFRAME NUMEROUS TIMES. THE PILOT SAID THE ROCK HIS AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH WAS OBSCURED BY GRASS AND THAT HE DID NOT SEE IT. HE SAID HE DID SEE OTHER ROCKS OUT IN FRONT OF HIS AIRCRAFT AS IT DESCENDED.
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: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,779 hours in all; 424 in this make and model; 110 in the last 90 days; 53 in the last 30 days; 3,729 as pilot in command; 50 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,589 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 10, 1994; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Wild West Helo Tours, INC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 24,000 ft; scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from RAP, 20 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.