Hughes 269C accident near Livingston, Texas, October 10, 1994
On October 10, 1994 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Hughes 269C (helicopter), registered N9616F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Livingston, Texas. It was a business 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 IMPROPER FLARE RESULTING IN AN UNDERSHOOT OF THE INTENDED LANDING AREA. A FACTOR WAS THE BIRD STRIKE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 10, 1994 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Livingston, Texas · map
- 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
- N9616F · no longer on the register · serial 700025
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT THE PILOT HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND FELT SEVERE VIBRATIONS. HE ENTERED AN AUTOROTATION AND SELECTED AN OPEN FIELD TO LAND; HOWEVER, HE UNDER SHOT THE INTENDED TOUCHDOWN POINT AND STRUCK SOME TREES. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE VIBRATION MAY HAVE BEEN DUE TO A BIRD STRIKE.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,050 hours in all; 950 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 920 as pilot in command; 110 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-DIA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BPT Beaumont TX at 3:30 pm
- Destination: DWH Houston TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 12 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:51 pm from LFK, 29 miles away
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.