Hughes 369HS accident near Norwood, Massachusetts, August 10, 1986
On August 10, 1986 at about 3:09 pm local time, a Hughes 369HS (helicopter), registered N369B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Norwood, Massachusetts (Norwood airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
- August 10, 1986 · about 3:09 pm local time
- Place
- Norwood, Massachusetts · Norwood
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369HS · all 369HSs on the register
- Registration
- N369B · registry record · serial 3405809
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS PRACTICING AN AUTOROTATION FROM A CLOSED TRAFFIC PATTERN TO THE NUMBERS ON RWY 35. HE RPRTD THAT HE MADE A NORMAL FLARE & POWER RECOVERY. HOWEVER, AS THE HELICOPTER WAS NOSING FORWARD OUT OF THE FLARE, THE PLT HEARD A NOISE & FELT A PERCUSSION FROM THE REAR OF THE ACFT. THE HELICOPTER YAWED & LANDED HARD. AN EXAM REVEALED THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES HAD STRUCK & SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM.
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: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 316 hours in all; 133 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 253 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,805 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 13, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Sherborn MA at 2:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 3,993 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:45 pm from OWD
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.