Hughes 369D accident near Roseburg, Oregon, March 11, 1991
On March 11, 1991 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Hughes 369D (helicopter), registered N1088L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Roseburg, Oregon. It was a business 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
A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE LACK OF A SUITABLE AREA FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 11, 1991 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Roseburg, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369D · all 369Ds on the register
- Registration
- N1088L · registry record · serial 300678D
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE HUGHES 369D WAS CRUISING BETWEEN 300 AND 500 FEET ABOVE THE SURFACE, WHEN HE HEARD A LOUD 'POP' AND THE ENGINE SPOOLED DOWN RAPIDLY. HE STATED THAT HE HAD NO PREVIOUS INDICATION OF A PROBLEM UNTIL THE ENGINE ABRUPTLY LOST POWER. HE INITIATED AN AUTOROTATION AND LANDED ON A SLOPED PORTION OF THE HIGHWAY. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE RIGHT SKID DROPPED APPROXIMATELY 20 INCHES AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE TAILBOOM. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL DISCREPANCY WAS FOUND.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,023 hours in all; 4,950 in this make and model; 116 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days; 9,760 as pilot in command; 1,800 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 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: S21 Sunriver OR at 9:30 pm
- Destination: Glendale OR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.