Hughes 369D accident near Kent, Washington, April 14, 1984
On April 14, 1984 at about 6:10 pm local time, a Hughes 369D (helicopter), registered N1092L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kent, Washington. It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- April 14, 1984 · about 6:10 pm local time
- Place
- Kent, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369D · all 369Ds on the register
- Registration
- N1092L · registry record · serial 410940D
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REQUESTED CLEARANCE TO TRANSIT THE SEATTLE TCA FOR A LANDING AT BOEING FIELD. HE WAS ADVISED OF A DC-10 DEPARTING THE SEATTLE-TACOMA INTL ARPT & WAS CAUTIONED ABOUT POSSIBLE WAKE TURBULENCE. THE DC-10 PASSED THE HELICOPTER WITH ABOUT 1 1/2 MI LATERAL SEPARATION & WAS ABOUT 600 FT HIGHER THAN THE HELICOPTER. SHORTLY AFTER THAT, THE HELICOPTER ENCOUNTERED VIOLENT VORTEX TURBULENCE. IT EXCEEDED 90 DEG OF BANK & 90 DEG OF NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE, AT WHICH TIME, THE ENG FLAMED OUT. THE TURBULENCE CONTINUED THRU-OUT THE ENSUING AUTOROTATION, BUT DIMINISHED DURING THE LAST 100 TO 200 FT. THE PLT TRIED TO FLARE FOR A LANDING, BUT THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES FLEXED DOWNWIND & CONTACTED THE TAIL BOOM. DURING RECOVERY, LESS THAN 1 QT OF FUEL WAS FOUND IN 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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,200 hours in all; 505 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 9,000 as pilot in command; 1,150 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,411 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 3, 1984; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PDT Pendleton OR at 4:17 pm
- Destination: BFI Seattle WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 70 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:56 pm from SEA, 7 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.