Hughes 269C accident near Dumont, Texas, January 12, 1995
On January 12, 1995 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Hughes 269C (helicopter), registered N796, was destroyed in an accident near Dumont, Texas. It was a public-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO OVERSTRESS FRACTURES OF THE #3 CYLINDER CONNECTING ROD CAP BOLTS. THE ORIGIN OF THE FRACTURES COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 12, 1995 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Dumont, Texas
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269C · all 269Cs on the register
- Registration
- N796 · registry record · serial 690804
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING WILD LIFE CONTROL ACTIVITIES THE HELICOPTER EXPERIENCED A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE AT 40 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO REGAIN POWER BY 'MILKING THE COLLECTIVE.' THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE WITHOUT FLARING. FOLLOWING THE INITIAL IMPACT THE HELICOPTER BOUNCED 13 FEET FORWARD AND ROLLED RIGHT. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE #3 CYLINDER CONNECTING ROD CAP BOLTS HAD FRACTURED RESULTING IN A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE BEARING CAP AND PISTON. THE SAFETY BOARD'S METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE FRACTURE FEATURES AT THE CENTER OF EACH BOLT WERE THE RESULT OF OVERSTRESS SEPARATIONS. HOWEVER, THE FRACTURE FEATURES ADJACENT TO THE OUTSIDE DIAMETER OF EACH BOLT CONTAINED MECHANICAL DAMAGE THAT OBLITERATED THE ORIGINAL FRACTURE FEATURES.
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: 1,909 hours in all; 1,767 in this make and model; 1,703 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,683 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 5, 1995; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-D1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 0°F (-18°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.