Hughes 369D accident near Cottage Grove, Oregon, September 4, 2004
On September 4, 2004 at about 2:30 am local time, a Hughes 369D (helicopter), registered N505ST, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cottage Grove, Oregon. It was a business flight 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
In-flight loss of engine power during cruise for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 4, 2004 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Cottage Grove, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369D · all 369Ds on the register
- Registration
- N505ST · registry record · serial 1135D
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
At 1,000 feet AGL the pilot said the engine had a sudden loss of power and the collective became very heavy. After the pilot initiated an autorotation, he looked down and observed a split in the rotor rpm and the N2 needle. The pilot then elected to proceed to a rock pit he observed and initiated an autorotation. At 60 knots and 30 feet AGL, and just as the pilot pulled back on the cyclic to slow down, the helicopter impacted the ground with its left skid. The helicopter subsequently rolled over on its left side, sustaining substantial damage as the main rotor blades severed the tail boom. A post accident examination of the helicopter failed to reveal any anomalies which would have prevented normal operations.
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: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 500 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 350 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 23, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,216 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 12, 2004; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 77S Creswell OR at 1:30 am
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 2:54 am from EUG, 350 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.