Hughes 369HS accident near Pohnpei, PO, September 1, 1999
On September 1, 1999 at about 10:00 am local time, a Hughes 369HS (helicopter), registered N42054, was destroyed in an accident near Pohnpei, PO. It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An in-flight collision with the water for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 1, 1999 · about 10:00 am local time
- Place
- Pohnpei, PO
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369HS · all 369HSs on the register
- Registration
- N42054 · no longer on the register · serial 520379S
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter took off from the fishing vessel to conduct tuna spotting operations, and crashed under unknown circumstances approximately 1 1/2 hours later. The pilot had made routine communication with the ship captain via radio about 10 minutes before the accident. No emergency calls were received by the ship. The helicopter was about 30 miles away from the ship at the time of the accident. The ship's crewmembers located only the helicopter's floats, pieces of the airframe, and the engine. The ship captain reported that the sea was flat and clear. There were no birds or fish noted around the accident site. The pilot had been on the ship since August 25, 1999, and had flown about 4 hours. The captain and crew reported that the pilot, who also performed duties as the mechanic, had not mentioned any mechanical problems with the aircraft. The operator estimated that the helicopter had approximately 64 gallons of fuel on board when it departed. No debris or contamination was noted in the fuel samples. The engine did not reveal any preimpact damage and appeared to have been rotating at the time of 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: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,276 hours in all; 650 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,716 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 22, 1999; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Fishing Vessel at 8:30 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.