Hughes 369HS accident near Scotts Mills, Oregon, November 27, 1992
On November 27, 1992 at about 11:58 pm local time, a Hughes 369HS (helicopter), registered N9228F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Scotts Mills, Oregon. It was an other work-use flight under external-load helicopter rules (Part 133). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S MISJUDGED DESCENT. FACTORS INCLUDE THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THIS TYPE OF OPERATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 27, 1992 · about 11:58 pm local time
- Place
- Scotts Mills, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369HS · all 369HSs on the register
- Registration
- N9228F · registry record · serial 1140666S
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS LEARNING THE TECHNIQUES SPECIFIC TO CHRISTMAS TREE OPERATIONS. ABOARD THE AIRCRAFT WITH HIM WAS AN EXPERIENCED PILOT WHO WAS COACHING HIM ON THE TECHNIQUES. WHILE CARRYING A LOAD OF SIX OR SEVEN SMALL LOGS, THE HELICOPTER MADE A HARD LANDING AND THE ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE TAIL BOOM DURING ONE APPROACH TO A 55 GALLON DRUM BEING USED AS A TARGET. A WITNESS STATED THAT THE HELICOPTER APPEARED TO SETTLE WITH 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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 12,335 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,905 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 1992; 42 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Kenram CORP
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA93LA030.