Hughes 269A incident near Daytona Beach, Florida, November 12, 1988
On November 12, 1988 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Hughes 269A (helicopter), registered N37632, was involved in an incident near Daytona Beach, Florida. 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 incident. 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
- November 12, 1988 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Daytona Beach, Florida
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269A · all 269As on the register
- Registration
- N37632 · no longer on the register · serial 46-0499
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING NORMAL CRUISE FLT, THE MAIN ROTOR DRIVE SYSTEM FAILED FOR UNDETERMINED REASON(S). GRASS WAS IGNITED BY EXHAUST GASSES AFTER TOUCHDOWN, RESULTING IN FIRE, DESTROYING THE HELICOPTER. EXAMINATION OF ENG COMPARTMENT REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE TRANSMISSION DRIVE ASSY. THE PLT STATED HE BELIEVES THE LOSS OF MAIN ROTOR DRIVE MAY HAVE BEEN DUE TO BELT OR IDLER PULLEY CABLE STRETCH. THE TOTAL NO. OF TRANSMISSION DRIVE BELTS OPERATING WHEN THE LOSS OF MAIN ROTOR DRIVE OCCURRED COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. ACCORDING TO THE PLT A 2 BELTS WILL DRIVE THE TRANSMISSION. HE ALSO STATED THAT ACCORDING TO THE PLT THE FAILURE MAY HAVE BEEN DUE TO THE STRETCHING OF THE IDLER PULLEY CABLE OR THE TRANSMISSION DRIVE BELTS. THE TENSION OF THE IDLER PULLEY CABLE WAS CHECKED APRX 12 HRS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT AND SCHEDULED TO BE RECHECKED AFTER 13 HRS OF OPERATION.
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: 921 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 812 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,206 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 29, 1988; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 44J Daytona Beach FL at 7:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 30,000 ft; not recorded at 30,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from DAB, 8 miles away
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.