Hughes 269C accident near Gastonia, North Carolina, October 15, 2026
On October 15, 2026 at about 5:30 pm local time, a 1971 Hughes 269C (helicopter), registered N9655F, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Gastonia, North Carolina (Gastonia Muni airport). It was an instructional 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 15, 2026 · about 5:30 pm local time · cases in 2026
- Place
- Gastonia, North Carolina · Gastonia Muni · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269C, built 1971 · all 269Cs on the register
- Registration
- N9655F · registry record · serial 910123
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On October 15, 2026 at 1330 eastern daylight time, a Hughes 269C, N9655F, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Gastonia, North Carolina. The pilot was not injured. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The student pilot reported that he was practicing solo traffic pattern operations at Gastonia Municipal Airport (AKH), Gastonia, Georgia. Before touchdown on the fourth landing, less than 100 ft above ground level and less than 45 knots indicated airspeed, the pilot heard a loud bang. Immediately after, he heard the engine rpm increase and the rotor rpm decrease. The pilot continued and landed the helicopter hard on the runway. He reported that the helicopter’s tail struck the ground, but that the helicopter landed upright on its skids. After exiting the helicopter, he observed that the clutch linear actuator was broken. A post-accident examination conducted by an FAA inspector revealed that the actuating shaft for the clutch linear actuator was fractured, and the cable that connected it to the helicopter’s clutch assembly was no longer under tension. Substantial damage was observed to the helicopter’s fuselage and tail rotor transmission. The wreckage was recovered and retained for further examination.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing defining event
- Hard landing during landing
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,340 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 26, 2026
- Maximum gross weight: 1,900 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: AKH Gastonia NC at 5:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 3,769 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 1:00 pm from AKH
Weather report (METAR): METAR KAKH 151654Z AUTO 27003KT 10SM 29/19 A3012 RMK AO2 SLP192 T02940189
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N9655F the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N9655F on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Hughes 269 300 series helicopters 207 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Hughes 386 aircraft on the register
- Gastonia Municipal · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in North Carolina 1,762 since 1982 · 305 in the last ten years
- North Carolina 7,118 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N9655F 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ERA27LA013.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.