Hughes helicopter accidents
Safety record and accident history for Hughes helicopters, sourced from NTSB records, news reports, and official investigation authorities.
The 369, sold commercially as the Model 500, was designed by Hughes Helicopters. McDonnell Douglas bought the company in 1984, Boeing absorbed McDonnell Douglas in 1997, and the civil line was sold on in 1999 to become MD Helicopters. We file the 369 and 500 families under Hughes, which is how they are still generally known, and the later 600 and 900 under MD Helicopters.
How many Hughes helicopter crashes have there been?
This database holds 263 incidents involving Hughes helicopters, from 1978 to 2026. The worst year was 2009, with 21. They account for 113 recorded deathsacross 69 fatal accidents.
A high count reflects how many of a manufacturer's aircraft are flying, not how safe they are. Comparing manufacturers needs flight hours, which are not published for most of the world.
Which Hughes model crashes most often?
The Hughes 369 appears most often, with 71 incidents, then the Hughes 369D with 54.
What causes Hughes helicopter accidents?
Where a cause was established, the most common is pilot error, in 43 accidents.
Showing 100 most recent of 263 total incidents.