Hughes 269B accident near Hartford, Alabama, September 19, 2015
On September 19, 2015 at about 3:15 pm local time, a 1967 Hughes 269B (helicopter), registered N141LL, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Hartford, Alabama. It was a personal flight 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 pilot's inadequate preflight planning, and his subsequent failure to attain adequate altitude during takeoff, which resulted in a collision with a wire fence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 19, 2015 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Hartford, Alabama · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269B, built 1967 · all 269Bs on the register
- Registration
- N141LL · no longer on the register · serial 670318
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter pilot was departing from a field at a family farm and attempted to clear an adjacent driveway when the left skid toe caught on the top of a wire fence. The pilot applied aft cyclic in an attempt to climb; however, the helicopter rolled to the left and impacted the ground. The main rotor, tail rotor, and airframe sustained substantial damage. Subsequent examination of the helicopter did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions which would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported about 3,900 hours of total flight experience in rotorcraft, which included 160 hours in the same make and model as the accident helicopter. He further reported that the accident could have been prevented had he conducted a walk around of the takeoff area to better evaluate prospective hazards.
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
What happened, in order
- Preflight or dispatch event during prior to flight
- Collision during takeoff/land during takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › (general) › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Fence/fence post › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,154 hours in all; 160 in this make and model; 214 in the last 90 days; 4,856 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,092 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 16, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-A1A (piston); 1,600 hours total
- Operator: Eagel Aviation Academy
The flight
- Departed from: 54J Defuniak Springs FL at 2:45 pm
- Destination: Hartford AL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 2:58 pm from OZR, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on December 22, 2015. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Occupant Statements | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Interview Memorandum | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Accident Photo (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.