Hughes 269C accident near Deland, Florida, January 2, 1991
On January 2, 1991 at about 7:40 pm local time, a Hughes 269C (helicopter), registered N9574F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Deland, Florida (Deland Mun-Taylor Field). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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
FAILURE OF THE COMMERCIAL PILOT APPLICANT TO PULL COLLECTIVE PITCH AND DELAY BY THE CHECK AIRMAN TO PULL COLLECTIVE AND APPLY POWER TO RECOVER, RESULTING IN A HARD LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 2, 1991 · about 7:40 pm local time
- Place
- Deland, Florida · Deland Mun-Taylor Field · 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
- N9574F · no longer on the register · serial 340288
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A COMMERCIAL PLT CHECK RIDE, THE CHECK AIRMAN REDUCED THE THROTTLE TO IDLE TO SIMULATE AN ENG FAILURE. THE APPLICANT ENTERED AN AUTOROTATIVE LANDING & WAS ADVISED THAT THE MANEUVER WOULD BE COMPLETED TO A 3-FOOT HOVER. AT 6 FT AGL, THE APPLICANT DID NOT PULL COLLECTIVE PITCH NOR APPLY POWER. THE CFI TOOK CONTROL & APPLIED COLLECTIVE PITCH & POWER BUT THE DESCENT CONTINUED & THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN, BOUNCED, WAS RECOVERED TO A HOVER, & LANDED WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENT.
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: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 180 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,300 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 10, 1990; 99 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-01A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Maverick Helicopters, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 500 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from DAB, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.