Hughes 269C accident near Mt. St. Helens, Washington, July 2, 1984
On July 2, 1984 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Hughes 269C (helicopter), registered N58397, was destroyed in an accident near Mt. St. Helens, Washington (None airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people 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
- July 2, 1984 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Mt. St. Helens, Washington · None · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269C · all 269Cs on the register
- Registration
- N58397 · registry record · serial 1090833
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THIS ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT THE 5500 FT LEVEL ON MT. ST. HELENS. DENSITY ALT AT THE TIME WAS 7500 FT. AT APRX 40-50 FT AGLENGINE AND ROTOR RPM BEGAN TO DECAY RAPIDLY. THE ACFT LANDED HARD ON A ROCK LEDGE WITH ONE SKID PARTIALLY OFF THE LEDGE.AS ROTOR RPM CONTINUED TO DECAY THE ROTOR DISC COULD NO LONGER SUPPORT THE HELICOPTER AND IT ROLLED 100 FT DOWN THE MOUNTAIN SUSTAINING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. MAINTENANCE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT ALL SPARK PLUGS WERE SEVERLY WORN. WHEN TESTED, FOUR OUT OF EIGHT PLUGS FIRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE LEFT MAGNETO ALSO HAD BURNED POINTS.
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; instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 653 hours in all; 282 in this make and model; 101 in the last 90 days; 562 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,472 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 76 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-D1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1S4 Scappoose OR at 9:10 pm
- Destination: Mt St Helens WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 55 statute miles
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from TDO, 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.
Other NTSB records under N58397 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.