Hughes 269A accident near Phoenix, Arizona, February 28, 1983
On February 28, 1983 at about 5:13 pm local time, a Hughes 269A (helicopter), registered N42426, was destroyed in an accident near Phoenix, Arizona. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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
- February 28, 1983 · about 5:13 pm local time
- Place
- Phoenix, Arizona
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269A · all 269As on the register
- Registration
- N42426 · registry record · serial 1050388
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PURPOSE OF FLT WAS TO TAKE AERIAL PHOTOGRPHS OF A BUSINESS AGENCY NEAR THE CRASH SITE. THE HELICOPTER WAS OBSERVED ORBITING A PARKING LOT IN A RIGHT HAND PATTERN AT 150-300 FT AGL. AFTER 2-3 ORBITS IT APPEARED TO HOVER BEFORE PITCHING NOSE DOWN TO A NEAR INVERTED POSITION, FOLLOWED BY A STEEP DESCENT UNTIL IMPACT WITH THE GROUND. FOLOWING THE PITCH OVER, PIECES OF THE TAIL AND/OR M/R BLADES SEPARATED. THERE WAS LEADING EDGE M/R DAMAGE & PAINT TRANSFER CONSISTENT WITH TAIL BOOM STRIKE PRIOR TO GROUND IMPACT. THE MAIN ROTOR & HUB ASS'Y WAS LOCATED ABOUT 30 FT FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE.
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: 2,500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,636 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 11, 1983; 37 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: P16 Mesa AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from PHX, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.