Hughes 269B accident near Burlington, Washington, September 24, 2000
On September 24, 2000 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Hughes 269B (helicopter), registered N9355F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Burlington, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Mintenance personnel not following the mandatory service bulletin procedure of not exceeding 0.0005 inch paint thickness on the cylinder flange. Factors were the fatigue separation of multiple cylinder hold down bolts resulting in looseness of the cylinder; and the subsequent vibration and fatigue separation of the fuel injector line. An additional factor was the pilot's operation of the rotorcraft outside the height/velocity parameters for a successful autorotation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 24, 2000 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Burlington, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269B · all 269Bs on the register
- Registration
- N9355F · no longer on the register · serial 44-0073
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot aborted his landing in the Hughes 269B helicopter after encountering dust and reduced visibility at the landing site. During the climbout, and at 50-60 mph and approximately 140 feet above ground, the engine rapidly lost power. The pilot executed an autorotation landing from an airspeed/altitude condition slightly outside the limitations of the height-velocity diagram and landed hard. Post crash examination revealed that the #1 cylinder fuel injector line had separated approximately one inch outboard of the injector unit. Metallurgical examination revealed the separation as fatigue. The engine log showed this to be the second #1 cylinder fuel injector line separation in recent history. Further examination revealed that 3 of the hold down bolts for the #3 cylinder had separated and metallurgical examination revealed the separations as fatigue. The flange for the #3 cylinder was observed to be painted with primer paint measuring from about 0.0014 inch to 0.0028 inch in thickness. Both cylinder hold down plates were examined and showed fretting and rubbing damage. According to Textron Lycoming Service Bulletin 271A, the primer paint thickness on the flange should not exceed 0.0005 inch. According to the engine log the engine underwent a major overhaul on July 8, 1994, during which the '...engine was painted assembled and delivered to Cascade Airframe Repair....' The #3 cylinder was subsequently removed and honed on an unspecified date. The date when the #3 cylinder flange was painted was not determined.
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, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,200 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,302 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 7, 2000; 65 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AWO Arlington WA at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 151°F (66°C), dew point 109°F (43°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from BLI, 20 miles away
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.