Hughes 269A accident near Danbury, New Hampshire, June 1, 2024
On June 1, 2024 at about 4:48 pm local time, a 1966 Hughes 269A (helicopter), registered N8045H, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Danbury, New Hampshire. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inadequate compensation for the prevailing wind conditions, which resulted in a loss of control during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 1, 2024 · about 4:48 pm local time
- Place
- Danbury, New Hampshire · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269A, built 1966 · all 269As on the register
- Registration
- N8045H · registry record · serial 86-0633
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was working on adding a helicopter rating to his existing private pilot certificate and was on a solo flight to practice some landing approaches at a nearby airport. After completing the practice approaches and refueling the helicopter, the pilot flew back to his property. The pilot reported that when he entered a hover to land, the helicopter started to turn to the right “very fast.” The pilot applied full force to the left anti-torque pedal, but the helicopter continued to turn to the right. The helicopter then impacted trees and terrain. A postimpact fire consumed most of the helicopter. The weather reported at an airport about 17 nautical miles from the accident site included wind at 7 knots, with gusts to 22 knots. The pilot’s solo endorsement limited him to flights in wind conditions less than 13 knots. Following the accident, the pilot reported that he did not believe that there had been a mechanical malfunction or failure that would have prevented normal operation of the helicopter and that a wind gust had “caught” him, which resulted in the loss of control. The wreckage was examined by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector at the accident site. While the examination was limited given the extent of the fire damage, the inspector did not observe any anomalies with the helicopter’s anti-torque system that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
- Loss of control in flight during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 190.6 hours in all; 20.2 in this make and model
- Last flight review: May 16, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,916.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 15, 2024
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: LCI Laconia NH at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 7 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 12:35 pm from 1P1, 17 miles away
Weather report (METAR): K1P1 011635Z AUTO 31007G22KT 290V020 10SM CLR 25/01 A3009 RMK AO2 T02530005
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on August 30, 2024. 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 (Combined from Pilot's 2 Submissions) | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record - Pilot Interview | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Pilot Logbook Excerpts | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Maintenance Logbook Excerpts | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Memorandum for Record - Wreckage Examination | 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.
Other NTSB records under N8045H the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA24LA242.