Hughes 369HS accident near Lihue, Kauai, Hawaii, November 26, 1987
On November 26, 1987 at about 6:10 pm local time, a Hughes 369HS (helicopter), registered N77DJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lihue, Kauai, Hawaii (Lihue airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PILOT FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE MAIN ROTOR RPM.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 26, 1987 · about 6:10 pm local time
- Place
- Lihue, Kauai, Hawaii · Lihue · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369HS · all 369HSs on the register
- Registration
- N77DJ · registry record · serial 1240683S
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT, WHO WAS ALSO A CERTIFICATED AIRFRAME & POWERPLANT MECH, RECENTLY CHANGED THE TAILBOOM ASSY. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT HE WAS CONDUCTING A MAINTENANCE TEST FLIGHT. THE PILOT EXECUTED ONE AUTOROTATION WITH A POWER RECOVERY. THE PLT REENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. GND WITNESSES REPTD THAT WHEN THE HELICOPTER ENTERED THE BASE LEG THEY HEARD AN EXPLOSIVE SOUND FOLLOWED BY THE TAILBOOM ASSY SEPARATING FROM THE HELICOPTER. THE WRECKAGE EXAM DSCLSD THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE STRUCK THE TAILBOOM. THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES WENT OUT OF TRACK AND STRUCK THE VERTICAL FINS, SEPARATING THE UPPER VERTICAL FIN. NO EVIDENCE OF ANY PREEXISTING MALFUNCTIONS WAS FOUND. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES EXHIBITED LOW ROTOR RPM DAMAGE.
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: 5,000 hours in all; 1,215 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 5,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,932 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 19, 1987; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3, 6,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 18 knots
- Visibility: 14 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from LIH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.