# Accident 20131228024809A: Schweizer 269C, White Plains, NY, December 28, 2013 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: December 28, 2013, 08:30 local time - Place: White Plains, NY - Airport: Westchester County - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Other, Specify - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 41.0669° N, 73.7075° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.0669&lon=-73.7075&mi=10 - Aircraft: N2056J, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2056J-2016-08-11) (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 make and model: SCHWEIZER 269C - Reported engine: LYCOMING HIO-360 SER - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 2 - Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor - Pilot flight hours: 446 total, 257 in this make and model, 88 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA14CA080](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14CA080) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20131228024809A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ON DECEMBER 28, 2013 AT APPROXIMATELY 08:35 HOURS LOCAL (13:35Z) A SCHWEIZER 269C (HELICOPTER), S/N S1820 REGISTRATION N2056J, WAS CONDUCTING AUTO-ROTATION (POWER RECOVERY) PRACTICE WITH ONE (1) CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, AND ONE (1) STUDENT PILOT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN LEFT TRAFFIC FOR RWY 29 AT KHPN CONDUCTING 180 DEGREE PATTERN TURNS TO THE LEFT. THE AIRCRAFT HAD COMPLETED TWO (2) SUCCESSFUL PRACTICE AUTO-ROTATIONS WITH THE STUDENT PILOT AT THE CONTROLS. ON THE THIRD (3RD) AUTO-ROTATION, THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WAS AT THE CONTROLS DEMONSTRATING THE AUTO-ROTATION. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD (TAIL LOW) ON THE FAR RIGHT SIDE OF RWY 29 BETWEEN FOXTROT AND LIMA TAXIWAYS WEST OF RWY 16-34. THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND ON ITS LEFT SIDE, IN THE GRASS AREA BETWEEN RWY 29, FOXTROT AND LIMA TAXIWAYS WEST OF RWY 16-34. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND THE STUDENT PILOT EVACUATED THE AIRCRAFT UNASSISTED, SUSTAINING ONLY MINOR INJURIES. THEY WERE TRANSPORTED TO GREENWICH HOSPITAL AS A PRECAUTION, REPORTING MINOR INJURIES. BOTH WERE TREATED AND RELEASED. THE STUDENT PILOT WENT HOME AND THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT FOR FURTHER QUESTIONING AND STATEMENTS. THE CFI AND PIC OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ OF 45 WILLIAMSBURG CIRCLE, GUILFORD , CT 06437-2017. FAA PILOT CERTIFICATE, COMMERCIAL ROTORCRAFT-HELICOPTER NO. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR ROTORCRAFT-HELICOPTER NO. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, DOB 03/09/1993. FAA 2ND CLASS MEDICAL 06/03/2013 THE STUDENT PILOT OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. FAA STUDENT PILOT CERTIFICATE^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DOB 03/28/1997 (A MINOR IN AGE) THE CFI STATED HE STARTED HIS DAY AT WESTCHESTER AIRPORT, NY, AT 07:30 HOURS, HE CONDUCTED A PREFLIGHT INSPECTION AND FOUND NO DISCREPANCIES. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED FOR THE FOXTROT PAD MANEUVERS AT THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY AIRPORT. THE CFI STATED THAT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN LEFT HAND TRAFFIC FOR RWY 29. THE FLIGHT CREW WAS PRACTICING 180 DEGREE AUTO-ROTATIONS TO A POWER RECOVERY. PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT THE CFI WAS DEMONSTRATING. THE CFI HAD THE FLIGHT CONTROLS FROM THE LAST AUTO ROTATION TO ABOUT 1,000 FEET AGL IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. AT 60 KTS AND ABEAM THE POINT OF INTENDED LANDING THE CFI ANNOUNCED ?AUTO-ROTATION? AND ENTERED THE AUTO?ROTATION TURN TO THE LEFT. THE CFI STATED THAT THE WINDS AT THE SURFACE WERE CALM, AND INITIAL AIRSPEED TO THE APPROACH WAS NORMAL. WHILE IN THE DESCENT, DURING THE LAST 100 FEET, THE AIRSPEED STARTED TO BLEED OFF SIGNIFICANTLY, THE INSTRUCTOR PUSHED FORWARD ON THE CYCLIC, AND PITCHED THE AIRCRAFT OVER TO INCREASE THE AIRSPEED. AT THIS POINT, THE CFI REALIZED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS AT A LOW ALTITUDE, AND PULLED AFT ON THE CYCLIC TO ARREST DESCENT AND BEGIN A FLARE. THE FLARE WAS STARTED AT APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET AGL, AND THE COLLECTIVE WAS INCREASED TO ARREST THE DESCENT. THE CFI STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED THE GROUND, TAIL LOW AND VERY HARD CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO BOUNCE 5-10 FEET AGL. AT THIS POINT, THE AIRCRAFT STARTED A RIGHT-HAND SPIN AND STARTED TO CLIMB. THE CFI TRIED TO PUSH THE LEFT ANTI-TORQUE PEDAL, BUT COULD NOT MOVE IT OR ARREST THE RIGHT-HAND SPIN. THE CFI FURTHER STATED THAT HE DID NOT ROLL THE THROTTLE OFF AS HE TRIED TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT SPUN TO THE RIGHT, ROLLED, AND LANDED ON ITS LEFT SIDE IN THE GRASS AREA. ## 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 ERA14CA080](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14CA080), Dec 28, 2013: Schweizer 269C (N2056J), White Plains, NY, substantial damage. Probable cause: The flight instructor's failure to maintain airspeed during a practice autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing and subsequent loss of control 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.