Hughes 369E accident near Hesston, Kansas, October 15, 1996
On October 15, 1996, a Hughes 369E (helicopter), registered N504AP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hesston, Kansas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot selected unsuitable terrain for landing. The factors involved were: an inoperative landing light, dusk light conditions, and the terrain condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 15, 1996 · cases in 1996
- Place
- Hesston, Kansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369E 369-E · all 369Es on the register
- Registration
- N504AP · registry record · serial 0094E
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On the return flight to Newton Airport, the pilot decided to divert and land on his farm. While starting to land at his farm at dusk, his landing light was inoperative and the pilot decided to abort his landing. When the pilot added power, he heard a noise from either the transmission or the rotors and decided to make a precautionary landing in the golf course next to his farm that he knew well. During the roll on landing, the helicopter struck a dirt bank which damaged the right skid. The helicopter was put into a hover and then settled on to the golf course. The helicopter rolled to the right after landing.
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: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 125 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 8,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250--C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ICT Wichita KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 170° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N504AP on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Hughes 369 500 series helicopters 124 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Hughes 387 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Allison 250--C20B 113 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Wichita Dwight D Eisenhower Ntl Airport · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Kansas 1,147 since 1982 · 149 in the last ten years
- Kansas 5,754 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CHI97LA008.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.