Hughes 269B accident near Tipton, Iowa, July 29, 1982
On July 29, 1982 at about 5:29 pm local time, a Hughes 269B (helicopter), registered N9357F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tipton, Iowa (Tipton airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- July 29, 1982 · about 5:29 pm local time
- Place
- Tipton, Iowa · Tipton
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269B · all 269Bs on the register
- Registration
- N9357F · no longer on the register · serial 34-0044
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER CRASHED DURING TAKEOFF ON A FLIGHT TO POLLENATE CORN. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE MADE A RUNNING TAKEOFF ACROSS THE RUNWAY. HE STATED THAT THE HELICOPTER BECAME AIRBORNE AT THE NORTH EDGE OF THE RUNWAY, BUT STARTED TO SETTLE AS IT WENT OVER THE SOUTH EDGE. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE HELICOPTER SETTLED DOWN ON A WOVEN WIRE FENCE AND ROLLED OVER ON ITS LEFT SIDE. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE HELICOPTER WAS ABOUT 52 LBS OVER ITS MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS ABOUT 2000 FT.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,962 hours in all; 73 in this make and model; 145 in the last 90 days; 2,460 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,210 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360A1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Brentner Aircraft, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Tipton IA at 12:00 pm
- Destination: Tipton IA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11, 3,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 185°F (85°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N9357F 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.