Hughes 500 accident near Little Valley, New York, March 2, 1982
On March 2, 1982 at about 4:05 pm local time, a Hughes 500 (helicopter), registered N8690F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Little Valley, New York. It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- March 2, 1982 · about 4:05 pm local time
- Place
- Little Valley, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 500
- Registration
- N8690F · no longer on the register · serial 165D
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ABOUT 10 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF IN HEAVY, WET, BLOWING SNOW, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. AT THAT TIME, THE HELICOPTER WAS AT ABOUT 100 FT AGL. AT THE FIRST INDICATION OF A POWER LOSS, THE PILOT INITIATED AND COMPLETED AN AUTOROTATIVE LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD. DURING TOUCHDOWN, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES FLEXED DOWNWARD AND STRUCK THE TAIL BOOM. THE AUTO REIGNITION FUNCTIONED AND THE ENGINE WAS OPERATING AT THE TIME OF LANDING. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE PARTICLE SEPARATOR HAD BECOME COMPLETELY CLOGGED WITH SNOW. THE PILOT DID NOT RECEIVE ADVANCE WARNING FROM THE PARTICLE SEPARATOR DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE SENSOR AND COCKPIT WARNING LIGHT SYSTEM. THEREFORE, HE DID NOT MANUALLY RELEASE THE PARTICLE SEPARATOR BYPASS DOOR PRIOR TO THE ENGINE FLAME-OUT.
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: 4,000 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 115 in the last 90 days; 3,782 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,829 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 66 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,550 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Evirogas,Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: Ellicottville NY at 10:55 am
- Destination: Mayville NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: overcast at 400 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:45 am from BFD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.