# Accident 19970513039769A: Schweizer 269C-1, Laredo, TX, May 13, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 13, 1997, 12:50 local time
- Place: Laredo, TX
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Pwr Off Run Land (Autorotation
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 27.7499° N, 99.1309° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.7499&lon=-99.1309&mi=10
- Aircraft: N107SM, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N107SM-1999-03-11) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Schweizer 269C-1 (registry code 8059504, https://openairdocs.org/model/schweizer-269c-1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported engine: LYC HO360*
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,516 total, 727 in this make and model, 68 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW97LA190](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW97LA190) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970513039769A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ENIGNE QUIT ON LOW LEVEL SEISMIC SURVEY FLIGHT. ROTOR DECAY ON AUTOROTATION. WATER IN FUEL AND AT SOURCE. (-23) DURING CRUISE FLIGHT FOR A OIL COMPANY SURVEY THE ENGINE QUITE SUDDENLY AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 150 FEET. THE PILOT DID A 180 AUTOROTATE INTO THE WIND LANDING. THE LANDING WAS VERY HARD, THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO THE PILOT OR PAX. ON SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF WATER AND OTHER CONTAMINATION IN THE FUEL STRAINER. INVESTIGATION INTO THE FUELING PROCEDURE REVEALED THE FUEL STORAGE TANK AT THE REMOTE SITE WAS CONTAMINATED WITH WATER AND DIRT. THE FILTER USED ON THE TANK WAS IMPROPERLY INSTALLED AND THE TANK WAS LOCATED SO THE DRAIN WAS ABOVE THE LOWEST PART OF THE TANK.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB FTW97LA190](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW97LA190), May 13, 1997: Schweizer 269C (N107SM), Laredo, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: loss of engine power due to fuel contamination, and the pilot's failure to properly check the fuel system for evidence of water during the preflight inspection. A factor was the lack of suitable…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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