Hughes H500C accident near Houston, Texas, April 3, 1990
On April 3, 1990 at about 4:35 pm local time, a Hughes H500C (helicopter), registered N9128F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Houston, Texas (Houston Hobby airport). It was a business flight 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 TOTAL FAILURE OF THE ENGINE FOR UNDERTEMINED REASONS AND THE PILOT MISJUDGING THE FLARE PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 3, 1990 · about 4:35 pm local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · Houston Hobby · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes H500C
- Registration
- N9128F · registry record · serial 720398S
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF THE TURBINE ENGINE HELICOPTER WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT WHEN HE SMELLED WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS BURNING OIL. THE ENGINE FLAMED OUT A FEW SECONDS LATER. AN AUTOROTATIONAL DESCENT WAS ACCOMPLISHED TO AN OPEN SCHOOL YARD. DURING THE FLARE/TOUCHDOWN, THE PILOT MISJUDGED AND A HARD LANDING OCCURRED RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF THE TAILBOOM WHEN THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK IT.
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; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,275 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 5,000 as pilot in command; 1,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,583 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 9, 1990
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:30 pm from HOU, 3 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.
Other NTSB records under N9128F 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.