What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 4/4/2010 a Schweizer 269C crashed while attempting to do a Pinnacle approach and landing on mt Morrison Colorado. The pilot was being instructed by a CFI. The performance data for the altitude and temperature at the time of the accident revealed a Pinnacle landing could only be accomplished if the helicopter was kept in ground effect. During the approach (out of ground effect) the rotor started to lose RPM and the CFI failed to identify the problem soon enough to recover the aircraft resulting in contact with the ground.
As the FAA filed it
ON 4/4/2010 A SCHWEIZER 269C CRASHED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DO A PINNACLE APPROACH AND LANDING ON MT MORRISON COLORADO. THE PILOT WAS BEING INSTRUCTED BY A CFI. THE PERFORMANCE DATA FOR THE ALTITUDE AND TEMPERATURE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT REVEALED A PINNACLE LANDING COULD ONLY BE ACCOMPLISHED IF THE HELICOPTER WAS KEPT IN GROUND EFFECT. DURING THE APPROACH (OUT OF GROUND EFFECT) THE ROTOR STARTED TO LOSE RPM AND THE CFI FAILED TO IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM SOON ENOUGH TO RECOVER THE AIRCRAFT RESULTING IN CONTACT WITH THE GROUND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.