Hughes 369D accident near Wrangell, Alaska, June 16, 1984
On June 16, 1984 at about 7:05 pm local time, a Hughes 369D (helicopter), registered N5133U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wrangell, Alaska (Wrangell airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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
- June 16, 1984 · about 7:05 pm local time
- Place
- Wrangell, Alaska · Wrangell · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369D · all 369Ds on the register
- Registration
- N5133U · registry record · serial 1102D
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER WAS PARKED WITH THE ENG RUNNING WHEN IT WAS STRUCK BY ANOTHER ACFT, A BEECH C-45G. PRIOR TO THE COLLISION, THE HELICOPTER WAS AT A LOW RPM; THEREFORE, THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO MOVE THE HELICOPTER OUT OF THE WAY. THE BEECH ACFT WAS BEING TAXIED FROM AN FBO WITH NO INTENT FOR FLT. PRIOR TO TAXIING, A MECHANIC HAD EXAMINED THE BRAKES & TOLD THE PLT OF THE BEECH THAT THE RIGHT MAIN BRAKE PADS WERE COMPLETELY WORN & WERE IN NEED OF REPAIR. THE PERSON TAXIING THE BEECH LOST CONTROL, WHILE TAXIING, & ALLOWED THE ACFT TO RUN INTO 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, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,750 hours in all; 60 in the last 90 days; 6,600 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,107 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 15, 1984; 87 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: PSG Petersburg AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:30 pm from PSG, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.