Hughes 269C N58323

Summary

On 10 June 1989 at about 16:36 local time, a Hughes 269C registered N58323, operated by Civic Helicopters Inc., was involved in an accident near Rainbow Valley, California, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

10 June 1989 at 16:36

Classification

Accident

Location

Rainbow Valley, California, United States

Coordinates

33.3904, -117.2092

Aircraft

Hughes 269C

Registration

N58323

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Civic Helicopters Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Carlsbad → Blythe

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX89FA212

2 people died.

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT AND HIS INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT (FAILURE TO SEE AND AVOID THE OBSTRUCTION). FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE PILOT'S DECISION TO FLY IN MARGINAL VFR WEATHER, AND THE TRANSMISSION LINE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

BEFORE THE FLT, THE STUDENT HELICOPTER PLT RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING, WHICH WAS FORECAST TO BE MARGINAL. HE ELECTED TO FLY, THOUGH INSTRUCTED NOT TO GO IF WX WOULD BE A FACTOR. THE FLT HAD BEEN PLANNED FOR A ROUTE TO BLYTHE, BUT AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PLT PROCEEDED TO PAUMA VALLEY & MADE AN UNAUTHORIZED STOP. A PASSENGER BOARDED THE HELICOPTER & THE PLT TOOK OFF AGAIN. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH A POWER LINE AS THE PLT WAS FLYING ABOUT 300 FT ABOVE AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. IT THEN CRASHED TO THE GROUND & WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED. A WITNESS RPRTD THE CLOUDS WERE LOW, BUT THERE WAS NO FOG. ANOTHER WITNESS RPRTD MIST WAS FALLING. ABOUT 14 MI SW AT OCEANSIDE, THE WX WAS, IN PART: PARTIALLY OBSCURED, 1000 FT OVERCAST, VISIBILITY 5 MILES, WIND FROM 160 DEG AT 4 KTS. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEM WAS EVIDENT. THE PLT HELD A SINGLE ENGINE LAND AIRPLANE RATING AND WAS RECEIVING FLIGHT INSTRUCTION IN HELICOPTERS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.