Hughes 269C accident near Corona, California, August 14, 1992
On August 14, 1992 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Hughes 269C (helicopter), registered N9297F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Corona, California. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S IMPROPER SUPERVISION OF THE FLIGHT; THE DUAL STUDENT PILOT'S FAILURE TO USE CARBURETOR HEAT; AND THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S IMPROPER USE OF THE TAIL ROTOR PEDALS. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO CARBURETOR ICING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 14, 1992 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Corona, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269C · all 269Cs on the register
- Registration
- N9297F · no longer on the register · serial 350408
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE DUAL STUDENT PILOT WAS PERFORMING PRACTICE AUTOROTATIONS AT REDUCED ENGINE RPM WITHOUT THE USE OF CARBURETOR HEAT. ON THE FOURTH AUTOROTATION THE ENGINE SUSTAINED A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER. THE CFI ASSUMED THE CONTROLS AND CONTINUED WITH THE AUTOROTATION. WHEN THE HELICOPTER WAS BETWEEN 7 TO 10 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND THE CFI APPLIED UP COLLECTIVE WITHOUT CORRECTING FOR THE INCREASED TORQUE (ROTOR PITCH INCREASE). THE HELICOPTER MADE AN ABRUPT LEFT TURN AND LANDED HARD CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE SKIDS AND TAIL BOOM ASSEMBLY. THE ENGINE OPERATED NORMALLY WHEN THE HELICOPTER WAS RECOVERED FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE PREVAILING TEMPERATURE WAS 94 DEGREES F AND THE DEW POINT WAS 63 DEGREES F. ACCORDING TO THE FAA ICING PROBABILITY CHART THE CARBURETOR WAS SUSCEPTIBLE TO CARBURETOR ICING AT GLIDE POWER.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 960 hours in all; 51 in this make and model; 240 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 850 as pilot in command; 670 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,260 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 29, 1992; 26 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Hiser Helicopter, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:00 pm from ONT, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N9297F 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.