Hughes 269C accident near London, Texas, June 20, 1994
On June 20, 1994 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Hughes 269C (helicopter), registered N7404F, was destroyed in an accident near London, Texas. It was a public-use 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 PARTIAL POWER LOSS DUE TO A STICKING VALVE. FACTORS WERE THE REMAINING WORN LOBES ON THE CAMSHAFT AND THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN ONTO WHICH A SUCCESSFUL FORCED LANDING COULD BE EXECUTED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 20, 1994 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- London, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269C · all 269Cs on the register
- Registration
- N7404F · no longer on the register · serial 650414
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A COYOTE ERADICATION FLIGHT, THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A PARTIAL POWER LOSS. THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE HE WAS MANEUVERING AT LOW ALTITUDE AND AIRSPEED, HE FELT A VIBRATION THROUGH THE AIRFRAME, THE ENGINE AND MAIN ROTOR RPM BEGAN TO DECREASE, AND THE NEEDLES SPLIT. HE APPLIED FULL POWER, BUT THE ENGINE WOULD ONLY DEVELOP 2,000 RPM. WHILE THE PILOT WAS MANEUVERING TO A CLEAR AREA, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK TREES AND THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED TO THE RIGHT AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT, THE ENGINE WAS TEST RUN IN THE AIRFRAME AND FOUND TO BE RUNNING ROUGH. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE CAMSHAFT LOBES WERE WORN BEYOND LIMITS AND THE #4 EXHAUST VALVE WAS HEAT DISCOLORED AND SHOWED SIGNS OF STICKING.
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: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,610 hours in all; 1,516 in this make and model; 130 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 1,406 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,604 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 6, 1994; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-D1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: U. S. Dept. Of Agriculture
The flight
- Departed from: JCT Junction TX at 10:30 pm
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.