Hughes 369HS accident near Mason, Texas, January 1, 1994
On January 1, 1994 at about 1:30 am local time, a Hughes 369HS (helicopter), registered N7092Q, was destroyed in an accident near Mason, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 1, 1994 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Mason, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369HS · all 369HSs on the register
- Registration
- N7092Q · no longer on the register · serial 3690754
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON A CROSS-COUNTRY, THE HELICOPTER ENTERED UNCONTROLLED FLIGHT. THE STUDENT PILOT/PASSENGER TOOK OVER CONTROL AS THE PILOT WAS UNRESPONSIVE TO HIM. THE STUDENT PILOT WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL. JUST PRIOR TO LANDING, THE PILOT GRABBED THE CONTROLS, AND THE HELICOPTER AGAIN ENTERED UNCONTROLLED FLIGHT, THEN IMPACTED THE GROUND ON ITS LEFT SIDE. A FIRE FOLLOWED THE IMPACT, AND THE STUDENT PILOT/PASSENGER EXTRICATED THE PILOT FROM THE WRECKAGE. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. VISUAL BRIGHT NIGHT CONDITIONS PREVAILED.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,118 hours in all; 433 in this make and model; 77 in the last 90 days; 53 in the last 30 days; 2,041 as pilot in command; 1,810 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,447 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 28, 1993; 37 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: JCT Junction TX
- Destination: ORL Orlando FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 260° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 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.
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.