Hughes 369HE accident near Las Cruces, New Mexico, June 24, 1996
On June 24, 1996 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Hughes 369HE (helicopter), registered N521TC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Las Cruces, New Mexico (Las Cruces International airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain clearance between the tail rotor and a fence while hovering.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 24, 1996 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Las Cruces, New Mexico · Las Cruces International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369HE · all 369HEs on the register
- Registration
- N521TC · registry record · serial 1090201E
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a landing hover (IGE), the tail rotor struck the top of a chain link fence and the tail rotor and gearbox separated from the aircraft. Subsequently, during the spinning of the helicopter, the pilot lowered the collective, the left skid struck the ramp, and the helicopter came to a stop on its left side.
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: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 240 hours in all; 120 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,822 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 10, 1996; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250C-18B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: P13 Globe AZ at 1:00 pm
- Destination: LRU
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:00 pm from LRU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.