Hughes 269A accident near Henderson, Nevada, June 19, 1993
On June 19, 1993 at about 2:33 pm local time, a Hughes 269A (helicopter), registered N9048R, was destroyed in an accident near Henderson, Nevada (Henderson Sky Harbor airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's improper use of the collective control and his failure to maintain adequate RPM during an autorotative descent during a practice power off landing. A factor which contributed to the accident related to the pilot's lack of recent experience piloting a helicopter.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 19, 1993 · about 2:33 pm local time
- Place
- Henderson, Nevada · Henderson Sky Harbor · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269A · all 269As on the register
- Registration
- N9048R · registry record · serial 85-0368
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND AND PASSENGER (WHO WAS LEARNING TO FLY THE HELICOPTER) DECIDED TO PERFORM A LOCAL AREA FLIGHT WHICH INCLUDED PRACTICING LANDINGS AND POSSIBLY AUTOROTATIONS. THE PASSENGER, WHO SURVIVED THE CRASH, REPORTED THAT THE FIRST CIRCUIT AROUND THE AIRPORT'S TRAFFIC PATTERN WAS UNEVENTFUL. ENGINE POWER SUDDENLY DECREASED WHILE ON SHORT FINAL APPROACH FOR ANOTHER LANDING. THE PASSENGER REPORTED OBSERVING THAT THE ENGINE AND ROTOR TACHOMETER INDICATOR NEEDLES BECAME SPLIT AND WERE 'OUT OF RANGE' FOR NORMAL OPERATIONS. THE HELICOPTER'S RATE OF DESCENT INCREASED, AND IT TOUCHED DOWN HARD ON THE RUNWAY, BOUNCED, ROLLED OVER AND BURNED. NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WERE FOUND DURING THE WRECKAGE EXAMINATION. NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND INDICATING THE PILOT HAD FLOWN A HELICOPTER DURING THE PRECEDING 15 MONTHS.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,502 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 12, 1993; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 5,000 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 75 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
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.