Hughes 269C accident near Houston, Texas, July 15, 1999
On July 15, 1999 at about 2:51 am local time, a Hughes 269C (helicopter), registered N7491F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Houston, Texas (Houston Hobby Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The hard landing as a result of the flight instructor's failure to attain the proper airspeed before simulating an engine failure, which resulted in the development of a high sink rate. Factors were the night illumination and the soft ground.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 15, 1999 · about 2:51 am local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · Houston Hobby Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269C · all 269Cs on the register
- Registration
- N7491F · no longer on the register · serial 350400
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a night instructional flight, the helicopter landed hard during a practice autorotation following a simulated engine failure during takeoff. The operator stated that the toe of the right landing gear skid sank into the ground, and the helicopter made a 90 degree turn. The main rotor blades made contact with and severed the tailboom of the helicopter. The operator reported that the maneuver was entered below the recommended airspeed of 60 knots, and consequently a high rate of sink developed during the landing flare, which the pilot receiving instruction was unable to arrest. No mechanical malfunction or failure was reported by either the pilot or the operator.
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: 3,500 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 3,000 as pilot in command; 30 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,393 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, June 15, 1999; 20 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: HOU at 2:21 am
- Runway 0, 1,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 170° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 am from HOU, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.