Hughes 269C accident near West Liberty, Iowa, May 29, 1985
On May 29, 1985 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Hughes 269C (helicopter), registered N8976F, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Liberty, Iowa. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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 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
- May 29, 1985 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- West Liberty, Iowa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269C · all 269Cs on the register
- Registration
- N8976F · no longer on the register · serial 1130252
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON A DOWNWIND SWATH RUN THE HELICOPTER EXPERIENCED AN ENG FAILURE AND THE PLT ENTERED AN AUTOROTATION. THE PLT THEN MADE A HARD LANDING WHICH RESULTED IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE NUT WHICH RETAINS THE GEAR TO CRANKSHAFT END HAD BACKED OFF ALLOWING THE GEAR TO SEPARATE AND THE ENG TO QUIT. THE NUT SAFETY WHICH BUTTS UP TO THE NUT FACE WAS NOT IN PLACE.
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: 3,550 hours in all; 1,730 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 3,400 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,182 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1985; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 5:55 pm from MUT, 15 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.
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.