# Accident 20000326012839A: Schweizer 269C, New Ulm, TX, March 26, 2000

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 26, 2000, 10:40 local time
- Place: New Ulm, TX
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Hovering
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 29.8697° N, 96.4893° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.8697&lon=-96.4893&mi=10
- Aircraft: N698SM, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N698SM-2007-06-04) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Schweizer 269C (registry code 8059502, https://openairdocs.org/model/schweizer-269c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming HIO-360 series (registry code 41524, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-hio-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported engine: LYC HIO360D1A
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,105 total, 575 in this make and model, 575 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW00LA105](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW00LA105) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000326012839A

## Narrative

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

(-23) WHEN FLYING A PASSENGER AND CARGO TO A REMOTE LANDING AREA THE PILOT MANUEVERED HIS HELI.TO LAND WITHIN 10 FEET OF A SEISMIC SURVEY ELECTRONIC JUNCTION BOX. WHILE STILL AT A HOVER, AN UNSECURED LARGE CANVAS BAG (NORMALLY SECURED UNDERNEATH THE ELECTRONIC JUNCTION BOX) WAS CAUGHT BY THE ROTOR WASH AND BLEW INTO THE MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM. PILOT AND PASSENGER BOTH REPORTED THAT THE HELI.THEN HAD A SEVERE VIBRATION UNTIL THE ROTOR SYSTEM SEPARATED FROM THE A/C AND THE REST OF THE HELI.FELL TO THE GROUND UPRIGHT. ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION SHOWS THE UPPER HALF OF THE MAIN ROTOR MAST HOUSING, THE ENTIRE MAIN ROTOR MAST, MAIN ROTOR HUB, AND MAIN ROTOR BLADES  DEPARTED THE A/C AS A SINLE UNIT. THE PILOT ESTIMATES THE MAIN   ROTOR SYSTEM SEPARATED WHILE HE WAS STILL AT A SKID HEIGHT OF 1 TO 2 FEET. THERE WAS NO FIRE, NO INJURIES, AND VERY LITTLE OTHER APPARENT DAMAGE TO HELI. THE OPERATOR'S DIRECTOR OF MAINTENANCE WAS AT THE ACCIDENT SCENE AND SAID THAT THE SKID GEAR ON THE HELI.DID NOT SHOW SIGNS OF A HARD LANDING.                                                                                                                                                                                    (.4)THE HELICOPTER WAS TRANSPORTING A PASSENGER TO A REMOTE SITE TO CHANGE THE BATTERIES ON A SEISMIC RECORDER BOX. AS THE PILOT TERMINATED THE LANDING APPROACH TO A HOVER AT A SKID HEIGHT OF 1 TO 2 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, AN EMPTY CANVAS HELI-BAG THAT WAS LYING ON THE GROUND BLEW INTO THE HELICOPTER'S MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM.  THE HELICOPTER DEVELOPED 'A SEVERE' VIBRATION, THE MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM SEPARATED, AND THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A 'MODERATELY HARD LANDING.'  THE OPERATOR STATED THAT THE ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED BY 'MAKING SURE THAT HELI-BAG IS SECURE AND THAT AIRCRAFT IS A SAFE DISTANCE FROM BAG AND BOX.'

## 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 FTW00LA105](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW00LA105), Mar 26, 2000: Schweizer 300C (N698SM), New Ulm, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate in-flight evaluation of the landing area, which resulted in the separation of the main rotor system as a result of foreign object damage.

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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