Hughes 369D accident near Horn Lake, Mississippi, June 19, 1988
On June 19, 1988 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Hughes 369D (helicopter), registered N1109P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Horn Lake, Mississippi. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- June 19, 1988 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Horn Lake, Mississippi · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369D · all 369Ds on the register
- Registration
- N1109P · no longer on the register · serial 1100849D
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BFR TKOF, THE HELICOPTER WAS SVCD WITH 100LL FUEL (AN APPROVED ALTN FUEL IF THE BOOST PUMP IS USED IN FLT). DRG FLT, THEENG LOST PWR. AN AUTOROTATION WAS MADE IN TALL VEGETATION, BUT DRG THE LNDG, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM. AN INSPN OF THE FUEL SYS REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF CONTAMINATION. THE PNEUMATIC SYS WAS PRESSURE-TESTED & NO LEAKS WERE FND. POST-ACDNT ATMTS TO START THE ENG WERE UNSUCCESSFUL UNTIL THE FUEL SYS WAS PURGED OF AIR. IT THEN STARTED & OPERATED NORMALLY FOR ABOUT 5 MIN, BUT THE FUEL PUMP WAS FOUND TO BE UNSERVICEABLE WITH WORN SEALS & BEARINGS. A BENCH CHECK SHOWED THE FUEL PUMP HAD A FLOW RATE OF 700 PPH AT 600 PSI, THE PUMP SHOULD HAVE HAD A MIN FLOW RATE OF 1269 PPH. ALSO, THE POWER TURBINE GOVERNOR WAS FND TO BE SLIGHTLY OUT OF ADJUSTMENT & A FUEL NOZZLE HAD EXCESSIVE STREAKS & VOIDS IN ITS SPRAY PATTERN. PERSONNEL AT THE MANUFACTURER BELIEVED THE ENG MAY HAVE LOST PWR DUE TO A COMBINATION OF A WORN FUEL PUMP & THE USE OF 100LL FUEL ON A 94 DEG DAY OR FROM VAPOR LOCK.
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; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,890 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 22, 1988; 200 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: M41 Holly Springs MS at 8:40 pm
- Destination: JBR Jonesboro AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 pm from MEM, 7 miles away
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.