# Accident 20170811024769A: Schweizer 269D, Long Beach, CA, August 11, 2017

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 11, 2017, 16:00 local time
- Place: Long Beach, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Ground/Ramp/Ma
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.7670° N, 118.1892° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Long Beach, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.7670&lon=-118.1892&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2086N, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2086N-2018-05-17) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Schweizer 269D (registry code 8059501, https://openairdocs.org/model/schweizer-269d) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Allison 250-C20 series (registry code 03020, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c20-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SCHWEIZER 269D
- Reported engine: ALLISON 250-C20 SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170811024769A

## Narrative

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

AUGUST 11, 2017 MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL WERE PERFORMING ENGINE RUN TO CHECK OUT HELICOPTER ROTOR TRANSMISSION WHICH WAS JUST INSTALLED FOLLOWING OVERHAUL.AS MAINTEANCE PERSONNEL INCREASED ENGINE RPM TO APPROXIMATELY 80 % THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO BOUNCE VIOLENTLY FROM SIDE TO SIDE WITH EXTREME VIBRATION, MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL IMMEDIATELY SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE STOPPING THE EVENT. UPON EXITING THE HELICOPTER AFTER THIS EVENT AND INSPECTING IT WAS DISCOVERED TO BE VERY VIOLENT AND IT IS SUSPECTED TO BE A GROUND RESONANCE EVENT. 2 OF THE 3 ROTOR BLADE WERE DISCONNECTED FROM THE LEAD/LAG DAMPER AND FOLDED AGAINST THE REMAINING INTACT ROTOR BLADE WHICH CREATED AND EXTREME OUT OF BALANCE/PHASE CONDITION. UNRESTRAINED ROTOR BLADE CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE VERTICAL STABILIZER AND TAIL BOOM, ENGINE /TRANSMISSION AND ROTOR SHAFT MOUNTS WERE BENT AND TORN FROM SUPPORTING STRUCTURE. VERY SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO HELICOPTER AIRFRAME. INSPECTION OF ROTOR DAMPER DID NOT REVEAL CAUSE OF SEPERATION DUE TO DAMAGE INDUCTED DURING THIS EVENT. THIS HELICOPTER WAS IN THE PROCESS OF AN ANNUAL INSPECTION AND WAS NOT RETURNED TO SERVICE AT THE TIME OF THIS EVENT. CAUSE OF SUSPECTED GROUND RESONANCE CONDITION WAS NOT ABLE TO BE DETERMINED.  HELICOPTER MAINTENANCE RECORDS WERE ALL REVIEWED AND ALL MAINTENANCE, AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES ARE ALL CURRENT WITH EXCEPTION OF THE MAINTENANCE BEING PERFORMED.

## NTSB investigation

None matched to this report by aircraft and date. Search the NTSB's own records: https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/basic-search

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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