Hughes 369D accident near Kahului,Maui, Hawaii, January 16, 1985
On January 16, 1985 at about 8:41 pm local time, a Hughes 369D (helicopter), registered N58399, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kahului,Maui, Hawaii (Kahului airport). It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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
- January 16, 1985 · about 8:41 pm local time
- Place
- Kahului,Maui, Hawaii · Kahului · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369D · all 369Ds on the register
- Registration
- N58399 · no longer on the register · serial 890565D
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PLT, ABOUT 1.4 HOURS INTO A LOCAL PHOTO FLT, THE FUEL GAGE SHOWED 125 POUNDS AND HE ELECTED TO RETURN TO THE ARPT FOR MORE FUEL. WITH THE FUEL GAGE SHOWING JUST UNDER 100 POUNDS, ENGINE FLAMED OUT ON APPROACH TO THE ARPT AND PLT EXECUTED AN AUTOROTATION TO A ROCKY CLEAR AREA. EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM DISCLOSED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY AND THAT BOTH THE GAGE AND WARNING LIGHT INDICATED HIGHER QUANTITIES THAN ARE ACTUALLY IN THE FUEL TANK. THE PLT DID NOT VISUALLY CHECK THE FUEL QUANTITY DURING THE PREFLIGHT.
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, flight instructor, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,600 hours in all; 755 in this make and model; 275 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 3,275 as pilot in command; 50 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,885 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 3, 1985; 553 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison C20B-250 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 0GG Kahului HI at 7:05 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:00 pm from OGG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.