Hughes 269A accident near Van Nuys, California, March 16, 1995
On March 16, 1995 at about 6:57 pm local time, a Hughes 269A (helicopter), registered N8873F, was destroyed in an accident near Van Nuys, California (Van Nuys airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the operation of the helicopter with improper adjustment of the landing gear and main rotor dampers due to the inadequate maintenance inspection of the helicopter by maintenance personnel and an inadequate preflight inspection by the pilot.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 16, 1995 · about 6:57 pm local time
- Place
- Van Nuys, California · Van Nuys · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269A · all 269As on the register
- Registration
- N8873F · no longer on the register · serial 63-0241
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED GROUND RESONANCE AFTER LANDING. THE HELICOPTER HAD TOUCHED DOWN LIGHTLY ON ITS LANDING GEAR SYSTEM AND BEGAN TO OSCILLATE FROM SIDE TO SIDE. THE HELICOPTER CONTINUED TO OSCILLATE UNTIL ONE SIDE OF THE HELICOPTER LANDING GEAR STRUCTURE FAILED. THE HELICOPTER THEN ROLLED ON ITS SIDE. THE FOUR LANDING GEAR DAMPERS AND TWO MAIN ROTOR DAMPERS WERE FOUND OUT OF LIMITS. THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT AFTER A 50-HOUR INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED. DURING THE INSPECTION, THE LANDING GEAR DAMPERS SHOULD HAVE BEEN CHECKED FOR PROPER EXTENSION. THE LANDING GEAR AND MAIN ROTOR DAMPERS SHOULD ALSO BE CHECKED BY THE PILOT DURING HIS PREFLIGHT PREPARATION OF THE HELICOPTER.
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
- Flight time: 1,039 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 924 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,144 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, March 30, 1995; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VNY CA at 6:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:58 pm from VNY, 1 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N8873F 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.