Hughes 369D accident near Seattle, Washington, September 27, 1987
On September 27, 1987 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Hughes 369D (helicopter), registered N8613F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Seattle, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt. 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
- September 27, 1987 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Seattle, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369D · all 369Ds on the register
- Registration
- N8613F · no longer on the register · serial 670127D
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD THAT WHILE HE WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT ABOUT 1000', THE ENG LOST POWER. HE INITIATED AN AUTOROTATION TO AN ATHLETIC FIELD IN A CITY PARK. DRG HIS APCH, HE CHANGED HIS PLANNED TOUCHDOWN POINT SVRL TIMES DUE TO PERSONNEL ON THE FIELD. HE SAID THAT THIS RESULTED IN A LOSS OF AIRSPEED, & SUBSEQUENTLY, THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD. DRG TOUCHDOWN, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES FLEXED DOWNWARD & SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM. AN EXAM OF THE ENG REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION THAT WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN A LOSS OF POWER.
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: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 87 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 41 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 50 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,129 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 16, 1987; 64 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: SHN Sheldon WA at 5:00 pm
- Destination: PAE Everett WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:45 pm from BFI, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 2 |
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 N8613F 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.