Hughes 369D accident near Yerington, Nevada, April 7, 1991
On April 7, 1991 at about 3:51 pm local time, a Hughes 369D (helicopter), registered N1109Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Yerington, Nevada. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S EXCESSIVE AIRSPEED AND RATE OF DESCENT ON FINAL APPROACH TO LAND, AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF ROTOR RPM WHILE ATTEMPTING TO FLARE. THE DITCH WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 7, 1991 · about 3:51 pm local time
- Place
- Yerington, Nevada · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369D · all 369Ds on the register
- Registration
- N1109Q · no longer on the register · serial 1100 854D
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A HUGHES 369D HELICOPTER LANDED HARD AND ROLLED OVER. ONE OF THE PASSENGERS REPORTED THE LANDING APPROACH WAS FAST. A NOISE WAS HEARD AS THE PILOT APPLIED POWER TO ARREST THE DESCENT FOR LANDING. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY ACTIVATION OF THE LOW RPM WARNING SYSTEM. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE RIGHT SKID CONTACTED A DITCH AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 31,300 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,434 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 28, 1991; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Yerington NV at 3:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from NFL, 33 miles away
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.