Hughes 269D accident near Palmdale, California, March 10, 1987
On March 10, 1987 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Hughes 269D (helicopter), registered N1103V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palmdale, California. It was a business flight under external-load helicopter rules (Part 133). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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 10, 1987 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Palmdale, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269D · all 269Ds on the register
- Registration
- N1103V · registry record · serial 1000823D
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING AN EXTERNAL LOAD OPERATION, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN AND ROLLED OVER. INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED AN OVERTEMPERATURE TO THE FIRST AND SECOND STAGE TURBINE WHEEL AIRFOILS.
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: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,428 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 220 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 1,118 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,522 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 27, 1987; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250C-20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Helicopter International
The flight
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:47 pm from WJP, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.