Hughes 269C accident near Sherwood, Oregon, January 18, 2000
On January 18, 2000 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Hughes 269C (helicopter), registered N9297F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sherwood, Oregon. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilots failure to arrest the helicopter's descent rate during a planned approach to a hover. Factors include uneven terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 18, 2000 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Sherwood, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269C · all 269Cs on the register
- Registration
- N9297F · no longer on the register · serial 35048
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot and pilot rated passenger were practicing a pinnacle approach, terminating to a hover, over a gravel pile in the confines of a rock quarry. The commercial pilot stated that during the transition to a hover the helicopter continued to settle and the aircraft's left skid collided with the top of the pile. The pilot added full collective and left cyclic without a notable response. The helicopter continued to roll to the right and down the embankment. After the accident, the pilot reported that a dynamic roll over had occurred. Examination of the helicopter and associated system components revealed no evidence of a mechanical malfunction or failure.
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: 730 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 600 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,746 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 15, 1999; 58 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-D1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 7S3 Starks Twin Oak OR at 11:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from UAO, 330 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N9297F 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.