Hughes 369HE accident near Jacksonville, Florida, June 16, 1986
On June 16, 1986 at about 10:44 am local time, a Hughes 369HE (helicopter), registered N9045F, was destroyed in an accident near Jacksonville, Florida. It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- June 16, 1986 · about 10:44 am local time
- Place
- Jacksonville, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369HE · all 369HEs on the register
- Registration
- N9045F · no longer on the register · serial 1090211E
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A LCL TV STN HAD HIRED THE OPER TO PROVIDE A HELICOPTER FOR USE IN BROADCASTING AN AIRBORNE TRAFFIC SHOW. THE PLT TOOK OFF WITH A RPRTR & A CAMERA MAN ABOARD. DRG A LIVE TRAFFIC RPRT, THE ACFT WAS HDG EASTBOUND AT SLOW SPEED OVR A DOWNTOWNAREA AT APRX 400 FT AGL. WHILE IT WAS AT OR NR A HOVER, WITNESSES HEARD A NOISE. THE ACFT THEN ENTERED A RAPID SPIN TO THE RGT & BGN AN UNCTLD DSCNT. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT STRUCK A TREE & A UTILITY POLE, THEN IMPACTED THE GND. AFTER BYSTANDERS REMOVED THE OCCUPANTS FM THE WRECKAGE, A FIRE ERUPTED. THE ENG THROTTLE GRIP WAS FND IN THE FULL OPEN (PWR ON) PSN. AN INV SHOWED THE AFT TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT FLEXIBLE (FLEX) COUPLING, PN 369H5501, HAD FAILED FM FATIGUE. AD 81-17-02 REQDTHAT ALL 369D'S WITH MAIN ROTOR BRAKES (MRB'S) BE INSPD AT 100 HR INTERVALS UNTIL THE FWD FLEX COUPLINGS WERE REPLACED WITH FAIL SAFE COUPLINGS (PN 369H92564), BUT THE ORIGINAL FWD & AFT FLEX COUPLINGS WERE IDENTICAL. ALSO, OTHER MODELS OFTHE 369 HAD NRLY IDENTICAL MRB'S, BUT THE AD DID NOT APPLY TO THESE. N9045F, A HUGHES 369HE, HAD NO MRB.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 13,800 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,343 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 21, 1985; 41 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C18B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: IRG Jacksonville FL at 10:24 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 am from CRG, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.