What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On August 8, 2001, at 0900 EST a Schweizer 269-C, s/n S1812, N1281R, registered to Mr. Frank tantaglia, and operated by highland helicopters inc., experienced a hard landing at Michael's airport in Cicero, new york. The pilot, Mr. Daniel oot, said, "I was giving john tilton an instructional Flight in N1281R, a Schweizer 300C, (269C) helicopter, color white, our altitude was 3 feet off the ground on the runway. We were doing a normal approach to runway 28, wind was light and variable out of southwest. We came into a 3 foot hover, manifold pressure was around 17 inches mp, rotor in green at 3 feet then noticed losing RPM, helicopter was turning left. My hands were very close, I rolled on the throttle and at the same time lowered helicopter close to ground, then helicopter started to rock, tried to keep the helicopter level. The helicopter rolled on its left side, blades hit (main rotor) at that time I told john tilton, lets get out, shut off mags., battery and pulled fuel shut off out, exited helicopter." Both pilots received no injuries. "This all happened from when we were at a hover, in less than 10 seconds. I then called the FAA, rochester FSDO, and talked to gordon fellows, he was going to send someone." The investigation revealed no mechanical failure, and the aircraft received substantial damage due to the impact. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no IFR Flight plan was filed. There were no injuries and the aircraft was damaged. The Flight originated at the syracuse international airport (ksyr), syracuse new york, on August 8, 2001 at approximately 0820 EST.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON AUGUST 8, 2001, AT 0900 EST A SCHWEIZER 269-C, S/N S1812, N1281R, REGISTERED TO MR. FRANK TANTAGLIA, AND OPERATED BY HIGHLAND HELICOPTERS INC., EXPERIENCED A HARD LANDING AT MICHAEL'S AIRPORT IN CICERO, NEW YORK. THE PILOT, MR. DANIEL OOT, SAID, "I WAS GIVING JOHN TILTON AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT IN N1281R, A SCHWEIZER 300C, (269C) HELICOPTER, COLOR WHITE, OUR ALTITUDE WAS 3 FEET OFF THE GROUND ON THE RUNWAY. WE WERE DOING A NORMAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 28, WIND WAS LIGHT AND VARIABLE OUT OF SOUTHWEST. WE CAME INTO A 3 FOOT HOVER, MANIFOLD PRESSURE WAS AROUND 17 INCHES MP, ROTOR IN GREEN AT 3 FEET THEN NOTICED LOSING RPM, HELICOPTER WAS TURNING LEFT. MY HANDS WERE VERY CLOSE, I ROLLED ON THE THROTTLE AND AT THE SAME TIME LOWERED HELICOPTER CLOSE TO GROUND, THEN HELICOPTER STARTED TO ROCK, TRIED TO KEEP THE HELICOPTER LEVEL. THE HELICOPTER ROLLED ON ITS LEFT SIDE, BLADES HIT (MAIN ROTOR) AT THAT TIME I TOLD JOHN TILTON, LETS GET OUT, SHUT OFF MAGS., BATTERY AND PULLED FUEL SHUT OFF OUT, EXITED HELICOPTER." BOTH PILOTS RECEIVED NO INJURIES. "THIS ALL HAPPENED FROM WHEN WE WERE AT A HOVER, IN LESS THAN 10 SECONDS. I THEN CALLED THE FAA, ROCHESTER FSDO, AND TALKED TO GORDON FELLOWS, HE WAS GOING TO SEND SOMEONE." THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO MECHANICAL FAILURE, AND THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DUE TO THE IMPACT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO IFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS DAMAGED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT THE SYRACUSE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (KSYR), SYRACUSE NEW YORK, ON AUGUST 8, 2001 AT APPROXIMATELY 0820 EST.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.