Hughes 369D accident near 35 W. Of Ketchi, Alaska, July 21, 1982
On July 21, 1982 at about 3:15 am local time, a Hughes 369D (helicopter), registered N58414, was destroyed in an accident near 35 W. Of Ketchi, Alaska. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under external-load helicopter rules (Part 133). 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
- July 21, 1982 · about 3:15 am local time
- Place
- 35 W. Of Ketchi, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369D · all 369Ds on the register
- Registration
- N58414 · no longer on the register · serial 480306D
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS CONDUCTING A SLING LOAD OPERATION WITH A 50 FT CABLE ATTACHED. AFTER THE LAST SLING LOAD WAS MOVED TO A NEW DRILLING SITE, THE PILOT ELECTED TO LEAVE THE CABLE ATTACHED SINCE THERE WAS NO SUITABLE LANDING AREA NEARBY. HE STATED THAT THE CABLE WAS TRAILING NICELY AS HE DESCENDED DOWN A 1500 FT BLUFF ABOVE THE MAIN CAMP. HOWEVER, AS HE REDUCED THE RATE OF DESCENT AND FORWARD VELOCITY, AND APPLIED POWER, THE CABLE BECAME ENGAGED IN THE TAIL ROTOR. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PILOT LOST EFFECTIVE CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER AND CRASHED ON A ROCKY BEACH. THE TAIL ROTOR AND TAIL ROTOR GEAR BOX WERE FOUND ABOUT 100 FT FROM THE HELICOPTER.
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; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,880 hours in all; 440 in this make and model; 190 in the last 90 days; 90 in the last 30 days; 2,770 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,888 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 61 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,100 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-D20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Temsco Helicopters, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 35 W. Of Ketchi AK at 7:30 pm
- Destination: 35 W. Of Ketchi AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 145°F (63°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from KTN, 35 miles away
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.