Hughes 269A accident near Springfield, Tennessee, July 24, 2019
On July 24, 2019 at about 11:00 pm local time, a 1964 Hughes 269A (helicopter), registered N269RR, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (from runway) near Springfield, Tennessee (Springfield Robertson County). It was a personal 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 pilot’s failure to maintain helicopter control and a loss of tail rotor effectiveness while hover-taxiing and turning toward a taxiway in gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in a dynamic rollover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 24, 2019 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Springfield, Tennessee · Springfield Robertson County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269A No Series, built 1964 · all 269As on the register
- Registration
- N269RR · no longer on the register · serial 105-0410
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter pilot reported that, after landing and while hover taxiing and turning right toward the taxiway, the helicopter continued turning right and drifted past the taxiway. He applied full left pedal and then closed the throttle to perform an autorotation to decrease the speed of rotation to no avail. He added collective to reduce the descent rate, but the helicopter landed and slid into a drainage ditch, the main rotor blades impacted a berm near the taxiway, and the helicopter came to rest on its side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the wind was from 320° at 11 knots, gusting to 16 knots. The pilot landed the helicopter on runway 04 and was turning right.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of tail rotor effectiveness during taxi (from runway) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during taxi (from runway)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during taxi (from runway)
- Roll over during taxi (from runway)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Prop/rotor parameters › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Sloped/uneven terrain › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,698 hours in all; 57.9 in this make and model; 1,408.8 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 13, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,353.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 24, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-B1A (piston); 205 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CKV Clarksville TN at 10:00 pm
- Destination: M91 Springfield TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 04, 5,505 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 8 knots, gusting 13
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 pm from KJWN, 21 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on October 1, 2019. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Photo | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.