Hughes 269C accident near Spanish Fork, Utah, January 13, 2021
On January 13, 2021 at about 8:50 pm local time, a 1977 Hughes 269C (helicopter), registered N7480F, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Spanish Fork, Utah (Spanish Fork Muni/Woodhouse Fl airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power during a practice autorotation for an undetermined reason.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 13, 2021 · about 8:50 pm local time
- Place
- Spanish Fork, Utah · Spanish Fork Muni/Woodhouse Fl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 269C, built 1977 · all 269Cs on the register
- Registration
- N7480F · no longer on the register · serial 170570
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot receiving instruction was preparing for his upcoming checkride for a rotorcraft certificate. About 50 minutes into the flight, the flight instructor announced a simulated engine failure, and the pilot receiving instruction reduced throttle, lowered collective, and entered an autorotation. When the helicopter approached 500 ft above ground level (agl) and the instructor advised the pilot to recover, they realized that the engine had stopped producing power. The instructor took control of the helicopter about 200 ft agl and started to flare about 30 ft agl. He raised collective to cushion the landing, but the helicopter still had forward airspeed when it touched down on the soft ground, which resulted in a noseover. Postaccident examination of the helicopter did not reveal any preimpact mechanical anomalies with the airframe or the engine. An engine run showed that with the throttle at the idle detent, the engine cut out intermittently, and the engine idle speed was about 500 rpm lower than the minimum idle speed given in the Pilot’s Operating Manual (POH) for the helicopter. However, the engine power could be advanced from idle to higher speeds, and the engine never lost power as occurred during the accident flight. The flight instructor reported that the pilot receiving instruction would rapidly reduce throttle for practice autorotations, and the POH warned against rapid throttle reduction as it could result in a sudden stoppage of the engine; however, given that the pilot receiving instruction had been following this practice throughout the flight and during previous flights without issue, it is unlikely his rapid throttle reduction led to the loss of power. The investigation was unable to determine the reason for the loss of engine power. The pilot receiving instruction had started his recovery from about 500 ft agl, which required the instructor to re-establish the autorotation following the loss of power. Although the instructor was successful in re-establishing autorotation, he was unable to fully arrest the helicopter’s forward motion before touchdown.
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
What happened, in order
- Autorotation Loss of engine power (total)
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing
- Nose over/nose down during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,649 hours in all; 404 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 3,571 as pilot in command; 585 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 11, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,973 hours in all; 68.6 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 1,889 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 19, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,961.5 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 18, 2020; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-DIA (piston); 896 hours total
- Operator: Trike Industries LLC
The flight
- Departed from: SPK Spanish Fork UT at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.28 inHg
- Observation at 1:56 pm from KPVU, 6 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KPVU 132056Z 30005KT 10SM BKN085 04/M06 A3028 RMK AO2 SLP270 T00391061 58020
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
11 documents, released by the NTSB on July 28, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversations | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Electronic Mail Correspondence with Pilot Receiving Instruction | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Checklist from Accident Helicopter | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Powerplant Limitations and Hv Curve | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Practice Autorotation Procedures from Pilot's Operating Handbook | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Section 4-15 from Pilot's Operating Handbook | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 8 | NTSB Helicopter Examination Report | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 9 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 10 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 11 | Accident Photographs | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N7480F 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.