Hughes 269A accident near Sherman, Texas, June 1, 2005
On June 1, 2005 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Hughes 269A (helicopter), registered N62269, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sherman, Texas. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The applicant's failure to maintain directional control of the helicopter during a simulated power failure from a hover and the FAA inspector's delayed remedial action resulted in a dynamic rollover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 1, 2005 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Sherman, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269A · all 269As on the register
- Registration
- N62269 · registry record · serial 160449
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A pilot applicant was demonstrating a simulated power failure from a two-foot hover to an FAA inspector when he lost control of the helicopter. The helicopter drifted aft and to the left before it impacted the ground and rolled on its left side. The FAA inspector's attempts to recover the helicopter were unsuccessful. According to the FAA Rotorcraft Flying Handbook, common errors when executing a power failure in a hover are; failing to use sufficient proper antitorque pedal when power is reduced, failing to stop all sideward and backward movement prior to touchdown, failing to apply up-collective pitch properly, resulting in a hard touchdown, failing to touch down at a level attitude, and not rolling the throttle completely to idle. In addition, "A helicopter is susceptible to a lateral rolling tendency, called dynamic rollover, when lifting off of the surface. For dynamic rollover to occur, some factor has to first cause the helicopter to roll or pivot around a skid, or landing gear wheel, until its critical rollover angle is reached. Then, beyond this point, main rotor thrust continues the roll and recovery is impossible. If the critical angle is exceeded, the helicopter rolls on its side regardless of the cyclic corrections made."
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,800 hours in all; 300 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 860 hours in all; 33 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GYI Sherman TX
- Destination: Sherman TX
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.
Other NTSB records under N62269 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.