Hughes 269C accident near Rainbow Valley, California, June 10, 1989
On June 10, 1989 at about 4:36 pm local time, a Hughes 269C (helicopter), registered N58323, was destroyed in an accident near Rainbow Valley, California. It was an instructional 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
IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT AND HIS INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT (FAILURE TO SEE AND AVOID THE OBSTRUCTION). FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE PILOT'S DECISION TO FLY IN MARGINAL VFR WEATHER, AND THE TRANSMISSION LINE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 10, 1989 · about 4:36 pm local time
- Place
- Rainbow Valley, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269C · all 269Cs on the register
- Registration
- N58323 · no longer on the register · serial 790803
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BEFORE THE FLT, THE STUDENT HELICOPTER PLT RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING, WHICH WAS FORECAST TO BE MARGINAL. HE ELECTED TO FLY, THOUGH INSTRUCTED NOT TO GO IF WX WOULD BE A FACTOR. THE FLT HAD BEEN PLANNED FOR A ROUTE TO BLYTHE, BUT AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PLT PROCEEDED TO PAUMA VALLEY & MADE AN UNAUTHORIZED STOP. A PASSENGER BOARDED THE HELICOPTER & THE PLT TOOK OFF AGAIN. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH A POWER LINE AS THE PLT WAS FLYING ABOUT 300 FT ABOVE AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. IT THEN CRASHED TO THE GROUND & WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED. A WITNESS RPRTD THE CLOUDS WERE LOW, BUT THERE WAS NO FOG. ANOTHER WITNESS RPRTD MIST WAS FALLING. ABOUT 14 MI SW AT OCEANSIDE, THE WX WAS, IN PART: PARTIALLY OBSCURED, 1000 FT OVERCAST, VISIBILITY 5 MILES, WIND FROM 160 DEG AT 4 KTS. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEM WAS EVIDENT. THE PLT HELD A SINGLE ENGINE LAND AIRPLANE RATING AND WAS RECEIVING FLIGHT INSTRUCTION IN HELICOPTERS.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 96 hours in all; 19 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 45 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,847 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 25, 1989; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-D1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Civic Helicopters INC.
The flight
- Departed from: CRQ Carlsbad CA at 3:42 pm
- Destination: BLH Blythe CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from NFG, 14 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.
Other NTSB records under N58323 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.