Hughes 269C accident near Houston, Texas, August 17, 1998
On August 17, 1998 at about 11:10 pm local time, a Hughes 269C (helicopter), registered N1103R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Houston, Texas. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to refuel the helicopter which resulted in the loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 17, 1998 · about 11:10 pm local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269C · all 269Cs on the register
- Registration
- N1103R · no longer on the register · serial 1100984
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During an instructional solo cross-country flight, about 1 hour 25 minutes after takeoff, the helicopter's engine lost power. During the ensuing autorotational landing, the helicopter impacted trees. The pilot reported that after the second time the rotor rpm briefly decreased from the normal operating range, he elected to land the helicopter. The pilot further reported that the engine 'sounded' okay. During the descent for landing, at 1,000 feet msl, the engine started losing power. A witness observed the helicopter at an estimated altitude of 1,500 feet. The engine was 'cutting in and out and the aircraft was yawing.' Examination of the accident site by FAA inspectors revealed no evidence of a fuel spill. A total of one cup of fuel was drained from both fuel tanks, and about one ounce of fuel was found in the gascolator. According to the helicopter manufacturer, the fuel consumption for this helicopter is 12-14 gallons per hour. The airline transport rated pilot undergoing instruction for a helicopter rating and his flight instructor visually checked the fuel level prior to departure. The flight instructor estimated there was a total of 25 gallons of fuel on board.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,845 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 95 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 6,495 as pilot in command; 940 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,906 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 2, 1998; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-D1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GLS Galveston TX at 10:17 pm
- Destination: IWS TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 15,000 ft; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from SGR, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.