Hughes 369HS accident near New Orleans, Louisiana, September 21, 1990
On September 21, 1990 at about 11:50 pm local time, a Hughes 369HS (helicopter), registered N71552, was substantially damaged in an accident near New Orleans, Louisiana (Lakefront airport). It was a public-use 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 PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ROTOR RPM. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE LOSE OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL STARVATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 21, 1990 · about 11:50 pm local time
- Place
- New Orleans, Louisiana · Lakefront · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369HS · all 369HSs on the register
- Registration
- N71552 · no longer on the register · serial 120365S
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER WAS HOLDING TO THE SOUTHWEST OF THE AIRPORT AT APPROXIMATELY 70 KNOTS AND 300 FEET AGL AWAITING LANDING CLEARANCE WHEN THE TURBINE ENGINE FLAMED OUT. THE INSTRUCTOR TOOK OVER THE CONTROLS AND INITIATED AN AUTOROTATION TO AN OPEN ATHLETIC FIELD. HE FLARED ABRUPTLY TO AVOID A BASEBALL BACKSTOP AND LANDED HARD. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES DROOPED AND SEVERED THE TAILBOOM. POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED AN INCORRECTLY INSTALLED FLOAT ARM. APPROXIMATELY 250 ML OF JET FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE MAIN FUEL CELL. AN AUXILIARY FUEL TANK WAS FOUND FULL OF FUEL WITH THE PILOT COCKPIT CONTROL LEVER IN THE OFF POSITION.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,250 hours in all; 350 in this make and model; 9,925 as pilot in command; 575 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Steel City Aviation
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:54 pm from NEW, 1 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.
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.