Hughes 369D accident near Napa, California, July 5, 1991
On July 5, 1991 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Hughes 369D (helicopter), registered N18KJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Napa, California. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER ALTITUDE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN FLIGHT DECISION TO FLY IN THE BELOW VFR WEATHER CONDITIONS AND HIS MISJUDGED WEATHER EVALUATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 5, 1991 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Napa, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369D · all 369Ds on the register
- Registration
- N18KJ · no longer on the register · serial 200649
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE 70-HOUR STUDENT HELICOPTER PILOT HELD AN AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT CERTIFICATE (AIRPLANES). THE PILOT DEPARTED ON A BUSINESS FLIGHT BETWEEN HIS HOME AND HIS OFFICE. AT THE TIME OF TAKEOFF THE PILOT WAS AWARE THERE WAS A 500 FOOT CEILING AND THE VISIBILITY WAS ONE MILE. AFTER FLYING FOR FIVE MINUTES THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED DECREASING VISIBILITY (1/16 MILE) AND GROUND FOG. THE PILOT REVERSED COURSE AND COLLIDED WITH THE UNDERLYING TERRAIN. THE ACCIDENT PILOT'S FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR HAD AUTHORIZED THE PILOT TO ONLY FLY THE HELICOPTER IN VFR CONDITIONS.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,800 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 138 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 2,565 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Nova Group, INC
The flight
- Departed from: Petaluma CA at 1:25 pm
- Destination: Napa CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.