Hughes 369D accident near Porterville, California, September 25, 1985
On September 25, 1985 at about 1:00 am local time, a Hughes 369D (helicopter), registered N29707, was destroyed in an accident near Porterville, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. 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
- September 25, 1985 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Porterville, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369D · all 369Ds on the register
- Registration
- N29707 · no longer on the register · serial 670148D
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER CLIMBING TO A CRUISE ALT OF 13500 FT MSL TO CROSS THE SIERRA NEVADA MOUNTAINS, SOUTH OF MT WHITNEY, THE PLT ENTERED CRUISE FLT AT AN INDICATED AIRSPEED OF APRX 120 TO 130 KTS. THE PLT'S FLT MANUAL LISTS 110 KTS AS THE VELOCITY VELOCITY TO NEVER EXCEED AT THIS PRESSURE ALT AND TEMP. THE PLT STATED THAT HE FIRST FELT A RAPID VIBRATION IN THE ANTI-TORGUE PEDALS. HE SAID HE THEN ENTERED A DESCENT. AS THE ACFT DESCENDED TO APRX 300 FT AGL IT WAS JOLTED AND DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS LOST. THE PLT STATED THAT HE MADE AN UNCONTROLLED FORCED LANDING AND CRASHED ON A MOUNTAIN AT AN ELEVATION OF 9000 FT. BOTH THE PLT AND HIS PASSENGER SURVIVED FOR 2 1/2 DAYS BEFORE BEING FOUND BY HUNTERS.
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: 4,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,424 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 3, 1985; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FAT Fresno CA
- Destination: LAS Las Vegas NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 41°F (5°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.