Hughes 269C accident near Encinal, Texas, February 10, 1990
On February 10, 1990 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Hughes 269C (helicopter), registered N58204, was substantially damaged in an accident near Encinal, Texas (Fred Ash Ranch airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE TAIL ROTOR CABLE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 10, 1990 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Encinal, Texas · Fred Ash Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269C · all 269Cs on the register
- Registration
- N58204 · registry record · serial 1280743
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A CATTLE HERDING OPERATION OVER ROUGH TERRAIN, THE AIRCRAFT EXPEREINCED A LOSS OF ANTI-TORQUE/DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DUE TO A FAILED TAIL ROTOR CABLE. THE PILOT FOLLOWED THE PUBLISHED EMERGENCY PROCEDURES; HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A TREE DURING AN AUTOROTATIVE DESCENT, THEN ROLLED LEFT AND STRUCK THE GROUND ON ITS LEFT SIDE.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,291 hours in all; 3,209 in this make and model; 103 in the last 90 days; 51 in the last 30 days; 3,211 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-D1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Smith Helicopter, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 1:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 18 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 6:45 am from LRD, 39 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.