# Accident 20170908015939A: Schweizer 269C-1, Medford, NJ, September 8, 2017

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 8, 2017, 13:00 local time
- Place: Medford, NJ
- Airport: Flying W
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.9342° N, 74.8072° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.9342&lon=-74.8072&mi=10
- Aircraft: N204HF, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N204HF-2019-05-04) (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: 2
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 480 total, 376 in this make and model, 164 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA17FA317](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17FA317) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170908015939A

## Narrative

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

WHILE CONDUCTING A PART 91 RIDE WITH ONE PASSENGER THE PILOT NOTIFIED FLYING W UNICOM OF THROTTLE FAILURE AND THAT THE RPM WAS STUCK AT A HIGH POWER SETTING.  FOR APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES 3 OTHER QUALIFIED HELICOPTER PILOTS RENDERED ASSISTANCE, ADVICE AND SUGGESTIONS OVER THE UNICOM FREQUENCY.  THE LOCAL POLICE, FIRE AND EMS WAS ALERTED AND WAS IN POSITION ADJACENT TO THE INTENDED RUNWAY FOR LANDING.  THE PILOT ELECTED TO PERFORM AN AUTOROTATION FROM APPROXIMATELY 1000' AGL TO RUNWAY 1.  THE INITIAL SEGMENT OF THE AUTOROTATION APPEARED NORMAL TO AVIATION WITNESSES.  AT APPROXIMATELY 500' AGL HOWEVER THE HELICOPTER DESCENDED VERTICALLY AT A HIGH RATE WITH NOTICEABLY LOW ROTOR RPM AND IMPACTED TREES AND BRUSH IN A RAVINE APPROXIMATELY 200' SHORT OF THE INTENDED RUNWAY.

## 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 ERA17FA317](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17FA317), Sep 8, 2017: Schweizer 269C (N204HF), Medford, NJ, substantial damage, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's early entry into and failure to maintain rotor rpm during a forced landing autorotation after performing an engine shutdown in flight, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent.…

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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