Hughes 369D accident near Taholah, Washington, February 4, 1985
On February 4, 1985 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Hughes 369D (helicopter), registered N8306F, was destroyed in an accident near Taholah, Washington. It was an other work-use flight under external-load helicopter rules (Part 133). 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
- February 4, 1985 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Taholah, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369D · all 369Ds on the register
- Registration
- N8306F · registry record · serial 380247D
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT HAD LIFTED OFF DURING AN EXTERNAL LOAD OPERATION WHEN THE PLT FELT A 'VIBRATION/SHUDDER'. THE RIGHT SKID CONTACTED THE GROUND AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER DURING AN ATTEMPT TO MANEUVER THE HELICOPTER AWAY FROM GROUND PERSONNEL. INSPECTION REVEALED THE MAIN ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT SEPARATED APRX 3 INCHES FROM THE SPLINED END OF THE SHAFT. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION DISCLOSED THE SHAFT FAILED FROM UNIDIRECTIONAL FATIGUE INITIATING FROM SURFACE PITS ON THE SHAFT.
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: 222 in the last 90 days; 3,876 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 17,396 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 24, 1984; 108 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 20,000 ft; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:45 pm from HQM, 27 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.
Other NTSB records under N8306F 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.