19990430004409A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Hughes 269C-1 · Concord, CA · April 30, 1999

Date: April 30, 1999 · 09:08 local
Place: Concord, CA
Airport: Buchanan Field
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N6148V
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX99LA166
Reported as: Hughes 269C1

N6148VRegistered now · Schweizer 269C-1S/N 0086 · Built 1998 Airframe modelSchweizer 269C-1 Engine modelLycoming HO-360 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Student pilot was practicing auto rotations in a Schweizer 269-C1 helicopter when the tail rotor struck the rwy. (-23) during this dual flight the instructor and student were practicing autorotations. During the first 4, the student was flaring too high. During the 5th autorotaion then instructor told the student, "we're gonna do this one together." Some confusion existed between the student and the instructor on who was going to initiate the flare. The results were that the flare was started too low to the runway. The stringer and tail rotor struck the runway, tail boom broke off, and skids spread.

As the FAA filed it

STUDENT PILOT WAS PRACTICING AUTO ROTATIONS IN A SCHWEIZER 269-C1 HELICOPTER WHEN THE TAIL ROTOR STRUCK THE RWY. (-23) DURING THIS DUAL FLIGHT THE INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT WERE PRACTICING AUTOROTATIONS. DURING THE FIRST 4, THE STUDENT WAS FLARING TOO HIGH.DURING THE 5TH AUTOROTAION THEN INSTRUCTOR TOLD THE STUDENT, "WE'RE GONNA DO THIS ONE TOGETHER." SOME CONFUSION EXISTED BETWEEN THE STUDENT AND THE INSTRUCTOR ON WHO WAS GOING TO INITIATE THE FLARE. THE RESULTS WERE THAT THE FLARE WAS STARTED TOO LOW TO THE RUNWAY. THE STRINGER AND TAIL ROTOR STRUCK THE RUNWAY, TAIL BOOM BROKE OFF, AND SKIDS SPREAD.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB LAX99LA166Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportConcord, CAThe inadequate supervision of the student pilot by the flight instructor during the practice autorotation, which resulted in a delayed flare and the tail rotor contacting the ground. A factor was a misinterpreted communication between the flight instructor…Apr 30, 1999 · Substantial damage