Schweizer HUGHES 269C accident near Laredo, Texas, March 10, 1999
On March 10, 1999 at about 3:10 pm local time, a Schweizer HUGHES 269C (helicopter), registered N36254, was substantially damaged in an accident near Laredo, 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 loss of engine power due to a bearing shift, which resulted in fatigue cracking of the crankshaft and subsequent failure of the crankshaft. A factor was a 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
- March 10, 1999 · about 3:10 pm local time
- Place
- Laredo, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer HUGHES 269C HUGHES 269
- Registration
- N36254 · no longer on the register · serial S1186
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter was at a 50-foot hover over a creek when the pilot heard a loud banging, followed by a loss of engine power. The pilot executed a right pedal turn and set the helicopter down hard in a creek. Examination of the engine revealed that the crankshaft was separated at the number 3 main bearing journal to number 3 connecting rod journal crossover cheek. A magnaflux examination of the crankshaft revealed that the number 3 main bearing journal displayed lateral cracks. Examination of the crankshaft fracture surfaces revealed that the crankshaft had failed in fatigue. The fracture features were damaged near the origin area; however, 'nearby crack arrest positions clearly indicated crack initiation from at least two locations on the journal surface near the crank cheek.' Examination of the number 3 bearing shell halves revealed that 'one shell had shifted relative to the other when the damage occurred.'
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: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 17,500 hours in all; 8,000 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,367 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 8, 1999; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-DIA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,500 ft; ovct at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 pm from LRD, 20 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.
Other NTSB records under N36254 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.