Hughes 369D accident near Toutle, Washington, July 13, 1990
On July 13, 1990 at about 7:25 pm local time, a Hughes 369D (helicopter), registered N58239, was substantially damaged in an accident near Toutle, Washington. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY OPERATING AND MANEUVERING THE HELIOCPTER IN A REGIME WHERE HE COULD NOT MAINTAIN ROTOR RPM. THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE AND ROUGH TERRAIN WERE RELATED FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 13, 1990 · about 7:25 pm local time
- Place
- Toutle, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369D · all 369Ds on the register
- Registration
- N58239 · no longer on the register · serial 369-0392D
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HUGHES 369D COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN AFTER MANEUVERING WITHIN THE CRATER AT MT ST HELENS. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD AN INDICATION OF AN ENGINE-OUT WARNING, AND INITIATED AN AUTOROTATION. BOTH REAR SEAT PASSENGERS OBSERVED VOLCANIC ASH COMING IN THEIR WINDOWS JUST BEFORE THE CRASH. THEY AND A THIRD PASSENGER STATED THAT THE PILOT HAD BEEN PLANNING ON LANDING IN THE CRATER AS REQUESTED BY THE FOURTH PASSENGER. THE POWERPLANT HAD TO BE SHUT DOWN AFTER THE CRASH LANDING. DURING A POST-ACDNT CHECK, THE ENG OPERATED SATISFACTORILY.
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: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,500 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 29 in the last 30 days; 5,715 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 361 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 10, 1990; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE 19 Mile House WA at 6:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 3 |
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 N58239 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.