Hughes 269A-1 accident near Eldorado, Texas, December 17, 1987
On December 17, 1987 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Hughes 269A-1 (helicopter), registered N8945F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Eldorado, 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 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
- December 17, 1987 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Eldorado, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269A-1 · all 269A-1s on the register
- Registration
- N8945F · no longer on the register · serial 250030
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND IN A CLEARING, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED A TREE CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO DESCEND UNCONTROLLED FOR ABOUT 40 FEET. THE HELICOPTER STRUCK THE GROUND IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE SKIDS, BUBBLE, ROTOR BLADES, AND TAIL BOOM.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,082 hours in all; 114 in this make and model; 107 in the last 90 days; 7,905 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,895 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 1, 1987; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-BIA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:51 am from SJT
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.