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20190524011159I

Incident · Minor damage
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FAA incident report · Schweizer 269C · Riverside, CA · May 24, 2019

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
May 24, 2019 · 13:45 local
Place
Riverside, CA
Phase of flight
Hover/Holding
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N269P
NTSB investigation
NTSBGAA19CA284
Reported as
Schweizer 269C
Reported engine
Lycoming HIO-360-D1A
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Student
Pilot’s flight hours
69 total41 in this make and model3 in the last 90 days
N269PRegistration cancelled Dec 17, 2019 · Schweizer 269CS/N S1328 · Built 1988Airframe modelSchweizer 269CEngine modelLycoming HIO-360-D1AReciprocating

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.

This part 91 flight was intended to be a supervised solo in the traffic pattern. Reported winds 290/05 knots. Student and CFI performed three dual traffic patterns to the Riverside airport (ral) runway 16 helicopter practice area. The student pilot and her CFI practiced several takeoff, hover, and landing maneuvers in preparation for the student's supervised solo flight.

Prior to leaving the aircraft, the CFI reminded the student pilot about the lateral CG shift when the right seat passenger is no longer in the seat. Note: the cfi's weight was approximately 220 lbs at the time of the accident.

The CFI left the aircraft to wait at an area on the VOR antenna walkway 50 yards west-northwest of the takeoff point. The CFI observed the student pilot start to lift the aircraft into a hover. At this point N269C rotated rapidly 180 degrees to the left before setting down firmly.

The aft cross beam and left side drag on the landing gear were damaged. The tips of both tail rotor blades made contact with ground contact and were damaged. The other tail rotor rotating components appeared intact and undamaged. N269C remained upright with no injuries to the crew.

As the FAA filed it

THIS PART 91 FLIGHT WAS INTENDED TO BE A SUPERVISED SOLO IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. REPORTED WINDS 290/05 KNOTS. STUDENT AND CFI PERFORMED THREE DUAL TRAFFIC PATTERNS TO THE RIVERSIDE AIRPORT (RAL) RUNWAY 16 HELICOPTER PRACTICE AREA. THE STUDENT PILOT AND HER CFI PRACTICED SEVERAL TAKEOFF, HOVER, AND LANDING MANEUVERS IN PREPARATION FOR THE STUDENT'S SUPERVISED SOLO FLIGHT.

PRIOR TO LEAVING THE AIRCRAFT, THE CFI REMINDED THE STUDENT PILOT ABOUT THE LATERAL CG SHIFT WHEN THE RIGHT SEAT PASSENGER IS NO LONGER IN THE SEAT. NOTE: THE CFI'S WEIGHT WAS APPROXIMATELY 220 LBS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

THE CFI LEFT THE AIRCRAFT TO WAIT AT AN AREA ON THE VOR ANTENNA WALKWAY 50 YARDS WEST-NORTHWEST OF THE TAKEOFF POINT. THE CFI OBSERVED THE STUDENT PILOT START TO LIFT THE AIRCRAFT INTO A HOVER. AT THIS POINT N269C ROTATED RAPIDLY 180 DEGREES TO THE LEFT BEFORE SETTING DOWN FIRMLY.

THE AFT CROSS BEAM AND LEFT SIDE DRAG ON THE LANDING GEAR WERE DAMAGED. THE TIPS OF BOTH TAIL ROTOR BLADES MADE CONTACT WITH GROUND CONTACT AND WERE DAMAGED. THE OTHER TAIL ROTOR ROTATING COMPONENTS APPEARED INTACT AND UNDAMAGED. N269C REMAINED UPRIGHT WITH NO INJURIES TO THE CREW.

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 GAA19CA284Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportRiverside, CAThe student pilot's failure to maintain yaw control and the engine's rpm during transition to a hover, which resulted in hard landing.May 24, 2019 · Substantial damage