Hughes 269C accident near Tracy, California, July 21, 2001
On July 21, 2001 at about 6:55 pm local time, a Hughes 269C (helicopter), registered N5015V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tracy, California (New Jerusalem airport). 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
The pilot's misjudgement of the landing flare during an autorotation demonstration. Factors were shifting winds and an excessive descent rate.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 21, 2001 · about 6:55 pm local time
- Place
- Tracy, California · New Jerusalem · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269C · all 269Cs on the register
- Registration
- N5015V · registry record · serial 611058
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor stated that he was demonstrating an autorotation to his student when the accident occurred. He said that he initiated a straight in autorotation to runway 30 at 600 feet above ground level (agl). The descent rate was stabilized until 200 feet agl, when he felt a sudden increase in the rate of descent. He began the flare at 50 feet agl. He stated that the vertical speed did not decrease at the rate he was accustomed to, resulting in a hard landing. He stated that the tail boom hit the ground first in a right yawing moment. The helicopter then rolled to the right, crushing the right skid, severing the tail boom, and allowing the rotor blades to contact the ground. He noted that no mechanical problems existed with the helicopter during the flight. He did not notice any mechanical anomalies during the autorotation demonstration. He stated that the engine was running normally during the autorotation and the landing flare. The pilot stated that wind shear may have been a factor. He had observed the winds to be from the northwest at 8 knots, and gusts to 12 knots with light turbulence.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,100 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 160 in the last 90 days; 55 in the last 30 days; 1,900 as pilot in command; 115 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 1, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,750 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 1,650 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 27, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,827 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 22, 2001; 53.3 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: SCK Stockton CA at 5:45 pm
- Destination: 1Q4 Tracy CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from KSCK, 13 miles away
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.
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.