20120211002499A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Schweizer 269C · Las Vegas, NV · February 11, 2012

Date: February 11, 2012 · 12:00 local
Place: Las Vegas, NV
Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N20536
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR12CA100
Reported as: Schweizer 269C
Reported engine: Lycoming HIO-360 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 2
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 238 total42 in this make and model14 in the last 90 days

N20536Registered now · Schweizer 269CS/N S1818 · Built 2001 Airframe modelSchweizer 269C Engine modelLycoming HIO-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.

Pilot stated that he was demonstrating a hovering turn around a point, described as being a car tire. As the aircraft entered a downwind condition the pilot lost control and the tailrotor made contact with the surface causing it to seperate from the tailboom. The aircraft continued out of control and spinning until striking the surface again and rolling inverted.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS DEMONSTRATING A HOVERING TURN AROUND A POINT, DESCRIBED AS BEING A CAR TIRE. AS THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A DOWNWIND CONDITION THE PILOT LOST CONTROL AND THE TAILROTOR MADE CONTACT WITH THE SURFACE CAUSING IT TO SEPERATE FROM THE TAILBOOM. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED OUT OF CONTROL AND SPINNING UNTIL STRIKING THE SURFACE AGAIN AND ROLLING INVERTED.

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 WPR12CA100Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportLas Vegas, NVThe pilot's inadequate compensation for the known wind conditions during a hovering maneuver, which resulted in a loss of tail rotor effectiveness and directional control.Feb 11, 2012 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N20536 · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 20060917019349IPractice Training Manuevers · Auburn, WA(-23) 09/17/2006, Ground handling bar fell through a roof onto a deck. Ground handling bar came out of mounting bracket. Pilot stated he did check this before take off.Sep 17, 2006