Hughes 369D accident near Rancho Bernardo, California, March 25, 1983
On March 25, 1983 at about 6:17 pm local time, a Hughes 369D (helicopter), registered N9589F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rancho Bernardo, California. It was a personal 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 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
- March 25, 1983 · about 6:17 pm local time
- Place
- Rancho Bernardo, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369D · all 369Ds on the register
- Registration
- N9589F · no longer on the register · serial 1170229D
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PLT, HE WAS ABOUT 10 FT AGL IN A HOVER, WITH A LEFT QUARTERING TAILWIND AT 5, GUSTING 10 KTS, WHEN HE ATTEMPTED A LEFT PEDAL TURN. HE SAID THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO TURN TO THE RIGHT & ADDITIONAL LEFT PEDAL APPLICATION HAD NO EFFECT. HE ROLLED THE THROTTLE OFF & ATTEMPTED TO LAND, BUT THE HELICOPTER CONTINUED TURNING TO THE RIGHT & CRASHED. HE REMEMBERED HEARING THE LOW RPM WARNING HORN, BUT DID NOT REMEMBER SEEING THE LOW RPM LIGHT. ALSO, HE DID NOT RECALL HEARING ANY UNUSUAL NOISES OR FEELING ANY UNUSUAL VIBRATIONS BEFORE IMPACT. AN EXAMINATION OF THE HELICOPTER & DAMAGED PARTS WAS MADE, BUT NO PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF THE ENG; AIRFRAME OR FLT CONTROL SYS WAS FOUND.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,585 hours in all; 113 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 2,398 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,400 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 93 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MYF San Diego CA at 5:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.