Hughes 369FF accident near Quantico, Virginia, April 27, 2005
On April 27, 2005 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Hughes 369FF (helicopter), registered N5252Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Quantico, Virginia (Quantico Marine Corps Airfield). It was a public-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight crew's failure to maintain adequate altitude/clearance from a building, which resulted in contact with the building, dynamic rollover, and collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 27, 2005 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Quantico, Virginia · Quantico Marine Corps Airfield · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369FF · all 369FFs on the register
- Registration
- N5252Y · no longer on the register · serial 0023F
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The purpose of the flight was to perform "fast rope" insertions by FBI helicopter to the roof of a one-story training structure with a second-story facade attached. The helicopter approached the building from the front, with two jumpers posted on skid-mounted pods on either side of the aircraft. One jumper was deployed from the left pod, and the flight crew then decided to reposition the helicopter over the building prior to deploying the jumper from the right pod. While repositioning, the helicopter dragged the right skid on the building. The pilot attempted to free the skid, and increase the helicopter's altitude above the structure. During the climb, the right skid snagged the structure; the helicopter rolled inverted, and then struck trees and terrain. Following the accident, the pilot reported that there were no deficiencies with the handling and performance of the helicopter.
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; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,000 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 41 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: January 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,200 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 47 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: March 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,132 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2005; 44 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls-Royce CAE-900027 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NYG Quantico VA at 9:55 pm
- Destination: NYG
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.71 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from NYG, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.
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.