Hughes 369HS accident near Monroe, Louisiana, August 3, 1992
On August 3, 1992 at about 9:13 pm local time, a Hughes 369HS (helicopter), registered N501FH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Monroe, Louisiana (Monroe Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE ROTOR RPM DURING AUTOROTATION. FACTORS WERE THE TAILWIND AND THE POWER LOSS FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 3, 1992 · about 9:13 pm local time
- Place
- Monroe, Louisiana · Monroe Regional
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369HS · all 369HSs on the register
- Registration
- N501FH · no longer on the register · serial 810338S
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO TRACK THE MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM. THE DEPARTURE WAS TO THE SOUTHEAST AND THE WINDS WERE FROM THE WEST AT 5 KNOTS. DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB AT APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET AGL AND APPROXIMATELY 35 KNOTS AIRSPEED, A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED. THE PILOT INITIATED AN AUTOROTATION TO THE GRASS ABEAM A RUNWAY. DURING THE FLARE THE PILOT DID NOT MAINTAIN ADEQUATE ROTOR RPM AND THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD, COLLAPSING THE SKID GEAR AND SEVERING THE TAIL BOOM. THE ENGINE WAS TEST RUN AT THE MANUFACTURER'S FACILITY WITH NO ANOMALIES NOTED. ADDITIONAL TESTS ON THE ENGINE'S RELATED SYSTEMS DID NOT REVEAL THE REASON FOR THE LOSS OF POWER.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 11,700 hours in all; 240 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 27 in the last 30 days; 10,900 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,857 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 3, 1992; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MLU at 9:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,700 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N501FH 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.