Hughes 369 accident near Yuma, Arizona, May 2, 1996
On May 2, 1996 at about 5:22 pm local time, a Hughes 369 (helicopter), registered N5184C, was destroyed in an accident near Yuma, Arizona. It was a public-use 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
failure of the pilot to maintain control of the helicopter, while maneuvering close to the ground. The unfavorable wind condition was a related factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 2, 1996 · about 5:22 pm local time
- Place
- Yuma, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369 · all 369s on the register
- Registration
- N5184C · no longer on the register · serial 69-15977
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was proceeding eastbound about 50 feet above ground level, when something on the ground got his attention. He initiated a left turn, then started a sweeping right turn to position the helicopter for a better obversation of tracks on the ground. The wind at that time was estimated to be variable from southeast to the south-southwest at 20 mph with gusts to 25 to 30 mph. The pilot reported that during the last stage of the right turn, he lost control of the helicopter, and it collided with the ground. The pilot remembered that the helicopter fishtailed and porpoised before it impacted. Also, there was no reported mechanical problem before the accident, nor was the rotor rpm determined before impact.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,840 hours in all; 1,650 in this make and model; 188 in the last 90 days; 88 in the last 30 days; 6,770 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20-B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: YUM at 4:20 pm
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 100°F (38°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.