Hughes 369E accident near Intercession, Florida, May 20, 1999
On May 20, 1999 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Hughes 369E (helicopter), registered N144CM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Intercession, Florida. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper fuel management that resulted in fuel exhaustion and a total loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 20, 1999 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Intercession, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369E · all 369Es on the register
- Registration
- N144CM · no longer on the register · serial 0178E
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was hovering out of ground effect at about 75 feet above ground level adjacent to power lines to the left of the helicopter. The helicopter started to sink. He applied right antitorque pedal and the engine noise decreased. He moved the cyclic to the right, increased collective pitch to arrest the rate of descent, and the engine out audio activated. As soon as he cleared the power lines, he lowered the collective pitch to gain rotor rpm, and applied forward cyclic in an attempt to clear a tree to his front. He realized impact with the trees was imminent, and applied aft cyclic in an attempt to make a vertical descent. The helicopter collided with trees and terrain hard in a nose low left skid low attitude. Examination of the main fuel tank revealed the fuel tank was empty and not ruptured. The engine was removed, transported to the engine manufacturer, and placed in an engine test stand. The engine started, and obtained takeoff power, and all cruise power point specifications.
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: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,217 hours in all; 2,271 in this make and model; 53 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 6,758 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,297 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 7, 1999; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air 2
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 3:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 88 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from MCO, 31 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.