Hughes 369HS accident near Troutdale, Oregon, August 21, 1982
On August 21, 1982 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Hughes 369HS (helicopter), registered N56AD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Troutdale, Oregon (Troutdale airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
- August 21, 1982 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Troutdale, Oregon · Troutdale
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369HS · all 369HSs on the register
- Registration
- N56AD · registry record · serial 54060S
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLT ORIGINATED AT THE PLT'S RESIDENCE 20 MI SOUTH OF THE TROUTDALE ARPT. THE PLT STATED THE PURPOSE OF THE FLT WAS TO REFUEL THE ACFT SINCE HE FIGURED HE HAD ABOUT 8 GALS OF FUEL ON DEPARTURE. AS THE ACFT APPROACHED THE GROUND AT ABOUT 50 FT AGL THE PLT EXECUTED WHAT APPEARED TO BE THE FLARE MANEUVER AT THE BOTTOM OF AN AUTOROTATION. THE ACFT THEN SUDDENLY FELL VERTICALLY TO THE GROUND, BOUNCED ABOUT 10-15 FT, THEN FELL BACK TO THE GROUND & ROLLED OVER ON ITS RIGHT SIDE. NO FUEL WAS ON BOARD.
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: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 750 hours in all; 160 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,298 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 106 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C18 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Rem. Service INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Damacus OR at 1:20 pm
- Destination: Damacus OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.