# Incident 20100407031999I: Schweizer 269C-1, Zellwood, FL, April 7, 2010

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 7, 2010, 14:15 local time
- Place: Zellwood, FL
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 28.7219° N, 81.5732° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Zellwood, FL, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.7219&lon=-81.5732&mi=10
- Aircraft: N72LP, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N72LP) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Schweizer 269C-1 (registry code 8059504, https://openairdocs.org/model/schweizer-269c-1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming HO-360 series (registry code 41513, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ho-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SCHWEIZER 269C-1
- Reported engine: LYCOMING HO-360
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 820 total, 780 in this make and model, 110 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100407031999I

## Narrative

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

IN PREPARATION FOR PRACTICING A HOVERING AUTOROTATION FROM 2 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR BRIEFED THE STUDENT ON THE STEPS INVOLVED, TO INCLUDE AN UNDERSTANDING THAT THE MANEUVER WOULD BE INITIATED WITH A COUNTDOWN SO THAT BOTH STUDENT AND INSTRUCTOR WOULD BE READY FOR THE TASK.  SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS INCLUDED A COUNTDOWN AS FOLLOWS:  THREE, TWO, ONE, ENTER.  UPON THE WORD ENTER, THE STUDENT WAS TO ROLL OFF THE THROTTLE AND HOLD THE COLLECTIVE IN PLACE.   HOWEVER, ONE OR TWO SECONDS AFTER THE BRIEFING AND WITHOUT A COUNTDOWN, THE STUDENT LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE AS IF PRACTICING AN AUT0ROTATION FROM ALTITUDE, CAUSING A RAPID DESCENT.  WHILE ALREADY GUARDING THE CONTROLS, THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR INSTANTLY ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE RAPID DESCENT.  SUCH ACTION PREVENTED MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE HELICOPTER, BUT WITH THE HELICOPTER ONLY 2 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, CONTACT WITH THE SURFACE WAS IMMINENT.  ACCORDINGLY, THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE TO THE SKID CROSSBEAM TUBE.

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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