Hughes 369HS accident near Labelle, Florida, June 26, 1992
On June 26, 1992 at about 4:04 pm local time, a Hughes 369HS (helicopter), registered N9089F, was destroyed in an accident near Labelle, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S IMPROPER APPLICATION OF COLLECTIVE PITCH DURING AN AUTOROTATIVE LANDING RESULTING IN INSUFFICIENT ROTOR RPM AND IN-FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TREES AND THE TERRAIN. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL CONTAMINATION AND INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 26, 1992 · about 4:04 pm local time
- Place
- Labelle, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369HS · all 369HSs on the register
- Registration
- N9089F · no longer on the register · serial 1010346S
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PILOT DEPARTED ON A VFR FLIGHT IN VFR CONDITIONS. A WITNESS OBSERVED THE HELICOPTER AT ABOUT 600 FEET AGL DESCENDING IN AN AUTOROTATION WITH A HIGH RATE OF DESCENT, FORWARD AIRSPEED, WITH THE NOSE PITCHED UP ABOUT 45 DEGREES BEFORE THE HELICOPTER DISAPPEARED BELOW THE TREE LINE. EXAMINATION OF THE CRASH SITE REVEALED THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH TREES IN A DESCENDING LEFT TURN PRIOR TO IMPACTING THE GROUND IN ABOUT A 45-DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE, NOSED OVER AND CAME TO REST ON ITS RIGHT SIDE. THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL CONTAMINATION. THE DECEASED PILOT'S SON STATED THE FATHER WOULD ALLOW THE HELICOPTER TO SIT AT THE HOUSE WITHOUT A FULL TANK OF FUEL, AND THAT HIS FATHER WOULD NOT DRAIN THE FUEL SUMP AS A PART OF HIS PREFLIGHT INSPECTION.
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: single-engine land; single-engine sea; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,800 hours in all; 625 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,202 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 31, 1991; 176 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C18C (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Rotorcraft Charter, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: not reported
- Wind: from 200° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 77°F (25°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:49 pm from FMY, 21 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.
Other NTSB records under N9089F 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.