Hughes 269C accident near St.Petersburg, Florida, August 10, 1985
On August 10, 1985 at about 3:54 pm local time, a Hughes 269C (helicopter), registered N300JS, was substantially damaged in an accident near St.Petersburg, Florida (Albert Whited airport). It was a personal 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 10, 1985 · about 3:54 pm local time
- Place
- St.Petersburg, Florida · Albert Whited · map
- 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
- N300JS · no longer on the register · serial 270569
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF THE HELICOPTER WAS EXECUTING A QUICK STOP IN A DOWNWIND CONDITION. AS HE INCREASED COLLECTIVE PITCH CONTROL, THE ROTOR RPM BLED DOWN. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE INCREASED COLLECTIVE PITCH TO INCREASE RPM AND THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,294 hours in all; 123 in this make and model; 59 in the last 90 days; 1,160 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,188 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 20, 1985; 108 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360D1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: M.Y. Flying Service,Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: SPG Tarpon Springs FL at 3:30 pm
- Destination: SPG St.Petersburg FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,322 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from SRG
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.
Other NTSB records under N300JS 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.