Hughes 369HS accident near Arock, Oregon, May 31, 1996
On May 31, 1996 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Hughes 369HS (helicopter), registered N444GJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Arock, Oregon. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to see and avoid the transmission wire. A factor was the low altitude flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 31, 1996 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Arock, Oregon
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 369HS · all 369HSs on the register
- Registration
- N444GJ · no longer on the register · serial 530479S
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While flying at approximately 40 to 50 feet above ground level and 100 knots, the helicopter struck a power line. The pilot stated to state troopers after the accident that following the wire strike, 'he had side to side control but did not have up and down control.' The pilot stated on his accident report that he performed 'an emergency landing in rough terrain with substantial resulting damage.' He reported that he had not seen the wire the helicopter had struck.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,600 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 4,300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,732 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 19, 1995; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WMC Winnemucca NV at 9:30 pm
- Destination: BKE Baker City OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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.