Hughes 269B accident near Georgetown, California, June 1, 1996
On June 1, 1996 at about 4:48 pm local time, a Hughes 269B (helicopter), registered N9332F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Georgetown, California (Georgetown airport). 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
loss of engine power for undetermined reason(s), while practicing an autorotation, which resulted in a forced landing; and the flight instructor's misjudged landing flare during the emergency autorotation/landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 1, 1996 · about 4:48 pm local time
- Place
- Georgetown, California · Georgetown · 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
- N9332F · no longer on the register · serial 690039
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a dual instructional lesson, the CFI initiated a practice autorotation from 1,000 feet above ground level (agl) while in the traffic pattern. The CFI reported that as the helicopter descended through 800 feet agl, all engine power was suddenly lost and the practice maneuver turned into a forced landing. Just prior to experiencing the engine power loss, all instruments had been in the green. The CFI further stated that the helicopter touched down softly at the approach end of the runway with a forward speed between 2 and 3 miles per hour. Thereafter, the helicopter tipped forward, shook violently, and the main rotor blade contacted the airframe which resulted in substantial damage.
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: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,433 hours in all; 53 in this make and model; 53 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 53 as pilot in command; 47 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,200 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1996; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Q61 Foresthill CA at 4:20 pm
- Destination: Q61 CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 2,980 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 150 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°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 N9332F 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.