Hughes 269B accident near Kahului, Hawaii, December 7, 1992
On December 7, 1992 at about 10:52 pm local time, a Hughes 269B (helicopter), registered N9566F, was destroyed in an accident near Kahului, Hawaii. It was an aerial observation 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
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE ROTOR RPM DURING DOWNWIND FLIGHT AND ADEQUATE ALTITUDE TO RECOVER THE LOSS OF MAIN ROTOR RPM BEFORE SETTLING INTO THE WATER. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF ROTORCRAFT FLIGHT EXPERIENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 7, 1992 · about 10:52 pm local time
- Place
- Kahului, Hawaii · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269B · all 269Bs on the register
- Registration
- N9566F · no longer on the register · serial 210458
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A HUGHES 269B DITCHED IN THE OCEAN AFTER AN INFLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL. THE HELICOPTER WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT ABOUT 100 FEET ABOVE THE WATER. THE PILOT DESCENDED TO ABOUT 20 FEET ABOVE THE WATER AND DECELERATED TO ABOUT 20 MILES PER HOUR. THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO VIBRATE AND THE MAIN ROTOR RPM BEGAN TO DROP. THE PILOT TURNED RIGHT AND INCREASED THE THROTTLE. THE PILOT NOTICED THE MANIFOLD PRESSURE INCREASED COMMENSURATE WITH THE THROTTLE APPLICATION; HOWEVER, THE ROTOR RPM CONTINUED TO DROP. THE PILOT LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE TO REGAIN MAIN ROTOR RPM BUT DUE TO THE LOW ALTITUDE THE HELICOPTER DESCENDED INTO THE WATER. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT A TAIL WIND EXISTED WHEN THE HELICOPTER EXPERIENCED THE LOSS OF MAIN ROTOR RPM. THE WINDS AT THE LOCAL AIRPORT LOCATED 1.5 MILES FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE WERE REPORTED TO BE FROM 110 DEGREES AT 12 KNOTS GUSTING TO 29 KNOTS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT HAD ACCRUED 75 HOURS IN HELICOPTERS OF WHICH 40 HOURS WERE IN THE ACCIDENT HELICOPTER MAKE AND MODEL AND 30 HOURS WERE AS PILOT IN COMMAND.
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; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,700 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 1,550 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 12 knots, gusting 29
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from OGG, 2 miles away
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.