Hughes 269C accident near Puunene, Maui, Hawaii, August 5, 1994
On August 5, 1994 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Hughes 269C (helicopter), registered N8376F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Puunene, Maui, Hawaii. 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 improper overhaul of the red blade main rotor damper, and the inadequate maintenance condition of the other rotor dampers and the landing gear dampers, which led to an uncorrectable ground resonance vibration and a subsequent rollover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 5, 1994 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Puunene, Maui, Hawaii
- 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
- N8376F · no longer on the register · serial 480679
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT WAS PERFORMING A PRACTICE AUTOROTATION AND AT 10 FEET HE BEGAN TO INCREASE THE COLLECTIVE TO CUSHION THE TOUCHDOWN. THE CFI SAID THE MAIN ROTOR RPM WAS LOW AND HE ADDED THROTTLE TO TOUCHDOWN WITH POWER. A GROUND RESONANCE VIBRATION BEGAN AND HE LIFTED OFF THE GROUND. THE VIBRATION CONTINUED AND HE ROLLED THE THROTTLE OFF AND SET THE HELICOPTER ON THE GROUND, THEN IT ROLLED OVER ON ITS SIDE. THE LANDING GEAR DAMPERS AND MAIN ROTOR DAMPERS WERE REMOVED AND TESTED AT THE FACTORY. THE RIGHT REAR AND LEFT FRONT MAIN LANDING GEAR DAMPERS HAD CHARGE PRESSURES BELOW ACCEPTABLE FACTORY SPECS. THE RIGHT FRONT AND LEFT REAR DAMPERS WERE FOUND TO BE WITHIN FACTORY SPEC RANGES. ALL THREE MAIN ROTOR DAMPERS WERE FOUND TO BE ADJUSTED TO EXCESSIVE FRICTION TORQUE VALUES. THE RED BLADE DAMPER WAS ASSEMBLED INCORRECTLY WITH A PLATE STACK UP IMPROPER FOR ANY VERSION OF THE DAMPER ASSEMBLY. THE HELICOPTER WAS IN STORAGE FOR 2 YEARS PRIOR TO JUNE 1994, WHEN IT WAS LEASED TO THE OPERATOR. THE RED BLADE DAMPER HAD BEEN REMOVED FROM ANOTHER HELICOPTER, OVERHAULED, AND PLACED IN SPARE PARTS INVENTORY, THEN PUT ON THE RED BLADE ON JULY 20, 1994.
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: 2,997 hours in all; 793 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 2,955 as pilot in command; 647 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,999 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 21, 1994; 56 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-D1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OGG Kahului, Maui HI at 9:30 pm
- Destination: OGG HI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N8376F 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.