Hughes 369E accident near Fritch, Texas, December 22, 2002
On December 22, 2002 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Hughes 369E (helicopter), registered N5234Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fritch, Texas. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power due to the failure of the generator input drive-end bearing, which resulted in excessive vibrations that induced a fatigue fracture of the Pc line leading to the engine fuel control unit. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 22, 2002 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Fritch, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369E · all 369Es on the register
- Registration
- N5234Y · no longer on the register · serial 0167E
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter was damaged during a forced landing after a loss of engine power while in cruise flight. The 14,700-hour pilot stated that at 5,100 feet MSL, the generator warning light illuminated. The pilot switched the generator "OFF" and back "ON" in an attempt to reset it, and was unable to reset the generator. The pilot then recycled the circuit breaker to try to reset the generator, and was still unable to reset the generator. The pilot pulled the generator circuit breaker and aborted the flight. Approximately 15 minutes after the generator failure, the engine out light illuminated and an audio warning came on, engine and rotor RPM started to decay and the pilot initiated autorotation. The auto re-ignition light illuminated during autorotation, but the engine would not spool back up to normal RPM. The pilot continued with the autorotation to a small clearing. During the final phase of the autorotation the pilot performed a cyclic flare to increase rotor RPM and arrest forward movement. The pilot leveled the helicopter a few feet off the ground and pulled the collective to arrest descent, at that point rotor RPM decayed and the helicopter dropped four feet AGL. The helicopter spun approximately 180 degrees from the original heading and impacted the ground nose first, on a heading of 30 degrees. Examination of the generator revealed that its drive-end bearing had failed. Bearing cage pieces fell out during disassembly. A Pc air leak test was performed and a air was detected emanating from the Pc air tube from the power turbine governor (PTG) to the engine fuel control unit (FCU). The tube was fractured approximately 90% circumferentially just above the coupling nut that attaches the tube to the FCU. A new Pc air tube (same part number) was installed and the engine was operated in a test cell. The engine was operated in accordance with the model 250-C20B Production Test Specifications. With the engine in the standard test configuration, response times were within normal limits and the engine met all performance parameters. Further metallurgical examination of the Pc tube revealed evidence of fatigue.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 14,700 hours in all; 2,600 in this make and model; 102 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 13,700 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 22, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,478 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 26, 2002
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Syracuse KS at 8:00 pm
- Destination: NONE Gruver TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.