Hughes 369D accident near Houston, Texas, July 20, 1986
On July 20, 1986 at about 11:20 pm local time, a Hughes 369D (helicopter), registered N1109T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Houston, Texas. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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
- July 20, 1986 · about 11:20 pm local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369D · all 369Ds on the register
- Registration
- N1109T · no longer on the register · serial 1200856D
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
REPORTEDLY THE PILOT WAS INSTRUCTING THE CO-PILOT IN QUICK STOP MANEUVERS, WHEN THE HELICOPTER'S TAIL BOOM AND AFT SKIDS STRUCK THE GROUND ON DESCENT. THE HELICOPTER TAIL BOOM WAS BENT 2 FEET FORWARD OF THE TAIL ROTOR GEAR BOX AND BOTH AFT SKIDS WERE BROKEN. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS IN A STATIONARY HOVER WHEN HE HEARD A LOUD BANG WHICH CAUSED THE HELICOPTER TO SPIN AND COLLIDE WITH THE GROUND. HOWEVER. THE FAA INSPECTOR AT THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT STATED THEY WERE PRACTICING QUICK STOPS AND THAT HE COULD FIND NO EVIDENCE OF ANY MECHANICAL FAILURE.
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: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,109 hours in all; 31 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 1,268 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 989 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 19, 1986; 166 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:36 pm from IAH, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N1109T 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.