Hughes 300 accident near Lake Worth, Texas, May 30, 1985
On May 30, 1985 at about 11:05 pm local time, a Hughes 300 (helicopter), registered N9660F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lake Worth, Texas. It was an instructional 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 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
- May 30, 1985 · about 11:05 pm local time
- Place
- Lake Worth, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 300
- Registration
- N9660F · no longer on the register · serial 110089
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE UNDERGOING HELICOPTER TRANSITION TRAINING FROM THE PREVIOUS OWNER, WHO HOLDS NO INSTRUCTOR CERTIFICATE, THE NEW OWNER'S SON HAD BEEN PRACTICING PWR RECOVERY AUTOROTATIONS. THE ENG FAILED TO RESPOND TO APPLICATION OF THROTTLE, AND A FULL AUTOROTATIVE LANDING WAS ATTEMPTED, UNSUCCESSFULLY. THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBTANTIAL DAMAGE IN A HARD LANDING. NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION WAS DISCOVERED DURING THE POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,771 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 1, 1984; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-D1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SUMM Fort Worth TX at 5:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 10 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 N9660F 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.