Hughes 369E accident near Palm Desert, California, April 11, 1987
On April 11, 1987 at about 2:35 pm local time, a Hughes 369E (helicopter), registered N5200W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palm Desert, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person 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 11, 1987 · about 2:35 pm local time
- Place
- Palm Desert, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369E · all 369Es on the register
- Registration
- N5200W · registry record · serial 0025E
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER DSCNDD UNCONTROLLED & CRASHED IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA. AFTER THE ACDNT, THE PLT SAID HE AGREED TO ORBIT THE RESIDENCE OF HIS PAX. AT THE APRX 135 DEG POINT OF A LEFT ORBIT, HE FELT 'A BANG & SEVERE VIBRATION IN THE TAIL.' THE PLT LOST DRCTNL CTL & THE HELICOPTER BEGAN SPINNING TO THE RIGHT. AN EXAM OF THE TAIL ROTOR GEAR BOX (T/R GB) ASSY REVEALED 3 OF 4 T/R GB MOUNTING STUDS HAD FAILED FROM CYCLIC FATIGUE DUE TO BENDING WHICH HAD RESULTED FROM A LOSS OF CLAMP-UP TORQUE. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE LOWER RIGHT EAR OF THE T/R GB (AT THE LCTN OF THE 4TH STUD) FAILED FROM OVERLOAD & THE T/R GB SEPD. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT 3 WASHERS HAD BEEN INSTALLED ON EACH OF THE MOUNTING STUDS, BUT ONLY ONE WAS PERMITTED. THE WASHERS WERE INSTALLED DURING COMPLIANCE WITH AD 86-20-07, 78 FLT HRS BEFORE THE ACDNT.
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: 6,000 hours in all; 111 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 5,075 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 333 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 9, 1987; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UDD Bermuda Dunes CA at 2:30 pm
- Destination: 17L Hemet CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 18,000 ft; scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:47 pm from TRM, 6 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.