Hughes 369E accident near Firebaugh, California, May 11, 1990
On May 11, 1990 at about 1:00 am local time, a Hughes 369E (helicopter), registered N5217N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Firebaugh, California. It was an other work-use 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
FAILURE BY COMPANY MAINTENANCE TO PERFORM A MANDATORY COMPRESSOR SECTION INSPECTION THAT RESULTED IN THE UNDETECTED EROSION OF THE COMPRESSOR VANES AND ENGINE FAILURE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE MAIN ROTOR RPM AT CRITICAL ALTITUDE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 11, 1990 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Firebaugh, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369E · all 369Es on the register
- Registration
- N5217N · no longer on the register · serial 0134E
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER LOST ENG POWER AND LANDED HARD. THE PLT REPORTED HE HAD JUST COMPLETED RELEASING AN EXTERNAL LOAD. THE HELICOPTER WAS ABOUT 125 FEET AGL IN A CLIMBING LEFT TURN WHEN THE PLT HEARD A LOUD BANG. THE PLT ENTERED AUTOROTATION. THE PLT NOTED THAT THE MAIN ROTOR RPM WAS LOW AND WAS UNABLE TO REGAIN ANY MAIN ROTOR RPM BEFORE THE LANDING FLAIR. AT TOUCHDOWN, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES FLEXED DOWNWARD AND SEVERED THE TAILBOOM. THE THIRD STAGE COMPRESSOR HAD FAILED, DAMAGING THE REMAINING STAGES OF THE COMPRESSOR. THE COMPRESSOR CASE PLASTIC WAS ERODED. THE ENG HAD UNDERGONE MAJOR MAINTENANCE AT 1,774.5 HOURS WHICH REQUIRED THE REMOVAL OF THE TURBINE SECTION. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE IN THE ENG LOGBOOKS OF THE COMPRESSOR SECTION BEING INSPECTED AT 1,750 HOURS AS REQUIRED BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE ENGINE MAINTENANCE MANUAL WARNS EROSION WILL CAUSE DAMAGE TO COMPRESSOR BLADES AND VANES.
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; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,372 hours in all; 1,045 in this make and model; 63 in the last 90 days; 7,007 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,854 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 5, 1990; 95 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250 C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.