Hughes 269A accident near Alexandria Bay, New York, May 12, 1998
On May 12, 1998, a Hughes 269A (helicopter), registered N8045H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Alexandria Bay, New York (Maxon Field). It was an instructional 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
Failure of the pilot to maintain rotor rpm during practice autorotation, and the flight instructor's inadequate supervision.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 12, 1998
- Place
- Alexandria Bay, New York · Maxon Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269A · all 269As on the register
- Registration
- N8045H · registry record · serial 65-18240
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was receiving instruction from a flight instructor for the purpose of practicing touchdown autorotations towards attaining his instructor certificate. The pilot said that during the autorotation, the helicopter touched down hard on the left main landing gear. The left skid then separated and the helicopter rolled over to the left. The pilot said there was no mechanical malfunction with the helicopter, and the accident could have been prevented if the flight instructor had taken the controls. He said the instructor was a relatively new instructor. The pilot also stated that the flight instructor might have been hesitant to correct a more experienced pilot. The instructor reported over 440 hours of rotorcraft flight experience including, 41 hours in make and model. The pilot reported over 3,420 hours of rotorcraft flight experience, including 63 hours in make and model. Several attempts were made to contact the instructor without success.
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: instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 440 hours in all; 41 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NY01
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 4,300 ft by 90 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 210° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 N8045H 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.