Hughes 369D accident near Tamunings, April 29, 1987
On April 29, 1987 at about 6:39 pm local time, a Hughes 369D (helicopter), registered N10995, was destroyed in an accident near Tamunings. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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 29, 1987 · about 6:39 pm local time
- Place
- Tamunings
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369D · all 369Ds on the register
- Registration
- N10995 · no longer on the register · serial 721D
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A HUGHES 369D, OPERATED OFF OF A FISHING VESSEL, WENT OUT OF CONTROL AND CRASHED IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN, NR GUAM. THE ACCIDENT WAS WITNESSED BY THE SHIP'S CAPTAIN. HIS STATEMENT INDICATED ONE OF THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES SEPARATED IN FLT WHILE THE HELO WAS ORBITING THE SHIP AT APRX 200 FT MSL. DURING AN EARLIER FLT A VIBRATION ASSOCIATED WITH THE MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM WAS EXPERIENCED. THE DISCREPANCY WAS REFERRED TO THE A&P MECHANIC ON THE BOAT, WHO WORKED ON THE HELO FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR WITH THE PLT. THE HELO WAS THEN TEST FLOWN. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES OF THE HUGHES 369D ARE ATTACHED TO THE MAIN ROTOR HUB WITH STAINLESS STEEL RETENTION STRAPS. THE MANUFACTURER OUTLINES A PROCEDURE DESIGNED TO HELP PREVENT MAIN ROTOR HUB COMPONENT CORROSION ON HELICOPTERS OPERATED IN MARINE ENVIRONMENTS. RECORDS MAINTAINED AT THE HELO MAINTENANCE BASED REVEALED THAT SUFFICIENT SUPPLIES WERE NOT AVAILABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THE PROCEDURE ON BOARD THE SHIP. THE ACFT WAS NOT RECOVERED.
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: foreign licence
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,307 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 10, 1987; 55 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: Tamunings OF at 10:39 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.