Hughes 269B accident near Cleveland, Ohio, October 31, 1997
On October 31, 1997 at about 7:16 pm local time, a Hughes 269B (helicopter), registered N2273W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cleveland, Ohio (Burke Lakefront airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to recover from settling-with-power. Factors relating to the accident were: the pilot's downwind approach and low airspeed.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 31, 1997 · about 7:16 pm local time
- Place
- Cleveland, Ohio · Burke Lakefront · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269B · all 269Bs on the register
- Registration
- N2273W · no longer on the register · serial 790431
- 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 reported that while flying in wind reported at 20 knots, he encountering winds up to 35 knots. During a downwind approach to the airport, the pilot could neither arrest his descent with collective nor maintain directional control with anti-torque pedals. The helicopter spun to the right during the uncontrolled descent and crashed. The pilot said: '...the engine was at redline and I was running out of collective. It spun around to the right again and to the ground.'
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: 612 hours in all; 297 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,491 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 10, 1997; 51 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-AIA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BKL at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:17 pm from BKL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.