Hughes 269C accident near Elma, Washington, March 20, 1985
On March 20, 1985 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Hughes 269C (helicopter), registered N9592F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Elma, Washington (Elma Municipal airport). It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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
- March 20, 1985 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Elma, Washington · Elma Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269C · all 269Cs on the register
- Registration
- N9592F · no longer on the register · serial 440296
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
JUST PRIOR TO LIFT-OFF A VIBRATION ACCOMPANIED BY LATERAL ROCKING OCCURRED. ALTHOUGH THE PLT BROUGHT THE POWER TO IDLE. THE HELICOPTER HAD ALREADY STARTED TO COME APART. DURING ENGINE EXAMINATION IT WAS FOUND THAT THE GROUND RESONANCE OCCURRED DUE TO UNDER TO RQ WING OF THE MAIN ROTOR DAMPNERS. THE DAMPNERS HAD BEEN SERVICED JUST 1.5 HOURS PRIOR TO THIS ACCIDENT.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,126 hours in all; 56 in this make and model; 274 in the last 90 days; 1,030 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,707 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 7, 1984; 66 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360 D1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Chehalis River WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 12:30 pm
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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 N9592F 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.