Hughes 500D accident near Portales, New Mexico, September 1, 1983
On September 1, 1983 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Hughes 500D (helicopter), registered N277SP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Portales, New Mexico. It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were 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 October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 1, 1983 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Portales, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 500D
- Registration
- N277SP · registry record · serial 290461D
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT LANDED AT PORTALES, NM WITH ABOUT 7 GAL OF JET FUEL REMAINING IN THE FUEL TANK. SINCE JET FUEL WAS NOT AVAILABLE, HE ADDED 15 GAL OF 100 LOW LEAD AVGAS, WHICH WAS AN APPROVED ALTERNATE FUEL. SHORTLY AFTER TAKING OFF, THE ENG FLAMED OUT & THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO OBTAIN A RESTART. DURING AN EMERENCY LANDING, THE TAIL BOOM & MAIN ROTOR BLADES WERE DAMAGED. THE PLT STATED THAT THE START FUEL PUMP WAS IN THE 'ON' POSITION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FLT MANUAL & THAT THE AUTORELIGHT SYS WAS ARMED. THE ENG WAS DISASSEMBLED BUT NO CAUSE FOR THE FLAMEOUT WAS FOUND.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,738 hours in all; 351 in this make and model; 190 in the last 90 days; 1,576 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,209 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 31, 1983; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Clovis NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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 N277SP 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.