Hughes 369D accident near Teec Nos Pos, Arizona, April 28, 1982
On April 28, 1982 at about 9:20 pm local time, a Hughes 369D (helicopter), registered N1089S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Teec Nos Pos, Arizona. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 28, 1982 · about 9:20 pm local time
- Place
- Teec Nos Pos, Arizona
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369D · all 369Ds on the register
- Registration
- N1089S · no longer on the register · serial 510963D
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT LOST ENG POWER & CRASHED WHILE ATTEMPTING AN AUTOROTATION. ENG TEARDOWN REVEALED THAT THE #2 BEARING FAILED AS A RESULT OF SOME OF THE BALL RETAINERS BEING BROKEN & CRACKED BETWEEN THE BALL POCKETS. THIS CONDITION ALLOWED THE IMPELLER ASSEMBLY TO MOVE FORWARD CONTACTING THE DIFFUSER ASSEMBLY RESULTING IN A LOSS OF ENG OPERATING POWER.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,620 hours in all; 2,020 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 151 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 151 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Hughes Heli. INC.
The flight
- Departed from: C Page AZ at 12:15 pm
- Destination: C Farmington NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 167°F (75°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.