How many accidents has the Hughes 269 had?

The NTSB has recorded 390 events involving the Hughes 269: 42 fatal, 44 serious, 88 minor injuries, and 211 incidents with no injuries.

Is the Hughes 269 a safe aircraft?

Safety depends on many factors beyond the aircraft model, including pilot training, maintenance, and weather conditions. The Hughes 269 has 390 NTSB-recorded events. Always review individual reports for context — many events involve pilot error or weather, not aircraft defects.

Hughes 269 Safety Record

Complete NTSB accident and incident history. 390 events recorded from 1982 to 2026.

390

All Events

211

Incidents

Minor

Serious

Fatal (61 fatalities)

Date	Location	Reg#	Severity	Damage	Probable Cause
Jul 01, 1991	BLAKELY, GA	N11017	Fatal (1)	substantial	LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON, AND FAILURE OF THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT (CFI) TO FOLLOW PROCEDURES AND MAINTAIN ROTOR RPM.
Jun 29, 1991	MANASSAS, VA	N48323	Serious (2)	substantial	THE PILOT'S IMPROPER INFLIGHT DECISION AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER AIRSPEED AT A LOW ALTITUDE WHICH RESULTED IN THE HELICOPTER SETTLING WITH PO… THE PILOT'S IMPROPER INFLIGHT DECISION AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER AIRSPEED AT A LOW ALTITUDE WHICH RESULTED IN THE HELICOPTER SETTLING WITH POWER. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW PRESCRIBED PROCEDURES/DIRECTIVES.
Jun 19, 1991	WARRENTON, OR	N9380F	Minor	substantial	THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN PROPER ROTOR SPEED DURING A SIMULATED AUTOROTATION.
Jun 13, 1991	CANBY, OR	N8944F	Minor	substantial	A HARD LANDING AFTER AN UNDETERMINED LOSS OF POWER. FACTORS INCLUDE AN EXCESSIVE EMERGENCY DESCENT RATE.
May 26, 1991	PALM SPRINGS, CA	N7033H	Minor	destroyed	LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE BY THE UNQUALIFIED PERSON AT THE CONTROLS; IMPROPER USE OF ROTORCRAFT FLIGHT CONTROLS BY AN UNQUALIFIED PERSON. A FACTOR IN T… LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE BY THE UNQUALIFIED PERSON AT THE CONTROLS; IMPROPER USE OF ROTORCRAFT FLIGHT CONTROLS BY AN UNQUALIFIED PERSON. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FENCE.
May 18, 1991	TARPON SPRINGS, FL	N10MY	Incident	substantial	DELAY BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TO APPLY ADEQUATE THROTTLE & COLLECTIVE DURING TRANSITION OFF A DOCK FOR A TAKEOFF OVER A LAKE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACC… DELAY BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TO APPLY ADEQUATE THROTTLE & COLLECTIVE DURING TRANSITION OFF A DOCK FOR A TAKEOFF OVER A LAKE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS HIS LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN THE TYPE OPERATION.
May 14, 1991	GRAND RONDE, OR	N9506F	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT INADVERTENTLY INTERFERED WITH THE CONTROLS.
May 05, 1991	LINCOLN PARK, NJ	N3TL	Incident	substantial	AN INFLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL DURING A HOVER DUE TO IMPROPER USE OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS BY THE PILOT AND THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO COMPLETELY USE THE … AN INFLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL DURING A HOVER DUE TO IMPROPER USE OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS BY THE PILOT AND THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO COMPLETELY USE THE MINIMAL VISUAL REFERENCES AVAILABLE.
Mar 30, 1991	HONOLULU, HI	N8656F	Incident	destroyed	THE INSTRUCTOR'S IMPROPERLY PLANNED APPROACH. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBSERVE PERFORMANCE DATA FOR THE HELICOPTER.
Mar 16, 1991	ADDISON, TX	N62269	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING LANDING.
Feb 20, 1991	NORTH MANKATO, MN	N8955F	Serious (2)	destroyed	THE FATIQUE FAILURE OF THE TAIL BOOM SUPPORT STRUT ATTACHMENT CLUSTER AND THE IMPROPER INSPECTION OF THE CLUSTER ATTACHMENT.
Feb 18, 1991	KNOWLES, OK	N8973F	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER DESCENT RATE DURING THE MANEUVER AND HIS DELAY IN INITIATING THE GO-AROUND.
Jan 02, 1991	DELAND, FL	N9574F	Incident	substantial	FAILURE OF THE COMMERCIAL PILOT APPLICANT TO PULL COLLECTIVE PITCH AND DELAY BY THE CHECK AIRMAN TO PULL COLLECTIVE AND APPLY POWER TO RECOVER, RESULT… FAILURE OF THE COMMERCIAL PILOT APPLICANT TO PULL COLLECTIVE PITCH AND DELAY BY THE CHECK AIRMAN TO PULL COLLECTIVE AND APPLY POWER TO RECOVER, RESULTING IN A HARD LANDING.
Dec 26, 1990	SELLERSBURG, IN	N90270	Incident	substantial	A PILOT INDUCED LOSS OF ENGINE POWER BY INADVERTENT DEACTIVATION OF THE FUEL MIXTURE CONTROL.
Nov 15, 1990	LOUISVILLE, KY	N9280F	Incident	substantial	FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE NUMBER 1 CYLINDER CONNECTING ROD.
Sep 25, 1990	JEFFERSON, MD	N1094D	Fatal (1)	destroyed	THE FAILURE OF THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM DUE TO A WORN TAIL ROTOR SPLINED DRIVE SLEEVE, AND INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE AND/OR INSPECTION BY… THE FAILURE OF THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM DUE TO A WORN TAIL ROTOR SPLINED DRIVE SLEEVE, AND INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE AND/OR INSPECTION BY THE OPERATOR. CONTRIBUTING TO THE LOSS OF CONTROL WAS THE STUDENT PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE ROTOR RPM DUE TO INEXPERIENCE.
Sep 17, 1990	KINGSVILLE, TX	N403SD	Fatal (1)	substantial	THE FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE LEFT FLANGE ON THE TAIL BOOM SADDLE FITTING.
Aug 24, 1990	SHREVEPORT, LA	N223TV	Serious (1)	substantial	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM THE OBSTRUCTION. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE LACK OF VISUAL QUES DUE TO THE LIGHT CONDI… THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM THE OBSTRUCTION. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE LACK OF VISUAL QUES DUE TO THE LIGHT CONDITIONS AT DUSK, THE GROUND OBSERVER'S LACK OF ASSISTANCE AND LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THE TYPE OF OPERATION, AND THE OBSTRUCTION (TRANSMISSION LINE).
Jun 29, 1990	CARLSBAD, CA	N1102H	Minor	substantial	FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AT A HOVER.
Jun 22, 1990	SALUDA, SC	N7448F	Incident	substantial	PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY PLAN FOR HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE OPERATIONS, WHICH RESULTED IN SETTLING WITH POWER TO THE GROUND.
Jun 21, 1990	PITTSTOWN, NJ	N110ES	Minor	destroyed	GROUND RESONANCE DUE TO INADEQUATE SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE OF THE LANDING GEAR DAMPERS.
Jun 07, 1990	PASO ROBLES, CA	N691RR	Incident	substantial	THIS ACCIDENT WAS DYNAMIC ROLLOVER DUE TO THE TERRAIN SLOPE EXCEEDING THE CAPABILITY OF THE HELICOPTER.
May 23, 1990	LA VERNE, CA	N8793F	Minor	substantial	GROUND RESONANCE DUE TO AN INADEQUATELY MAINTAINED STRUT.
May 23, 1990	RIALTO, CA	N7441F	Incident	substantial	IMPROPER MAINTENANCE PROCEDURE BY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL TO TROUBLESHOOT A REPORTED DEFICIENCY AND THE PILOT'S DECISION TO DEMONSTRATE THE VIBRATION, E… IMPROPER MAINTENANCE PROCEDURE BY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL TO TROUBLESHOOT A REPORTED DEFICIENCY AND THE PILOT'S DECISION TO DEMONSTRATE THE VIBRATION, EXCEEDING THE DESIGN LIMITS OF THE HELICOPTER AND INDUCING GROUND RESONANCE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE LOW NITROGEN CHARGE OF THE LANDING GEAR DAMPERS.
May 22, 1990	BREMERTON, WA	N8888F	Incident	substantial	FAILURE OF THE TAIL ROTOR CONTROL FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON.

Disclaimer: This data is sourced from the NTSB Aviation Accident Database. NTSB events reflect reported accidents and incidents and do not necessarily indicate a defect in the aircraft type. Many events involve pilot error, weather conditions, maintenance issues, or other factors unrelated to the aircraft design. This information is provided for research purposes only — consult official NTSB reports for complete details.

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Data source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database · About our data

Hughes 269 Safety Record

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