# Accident 20220623010981A: Schweizer 269C, Elkin, NC, June 23, 2022

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 23, 2022, 10:55 local time
- Place: Elkin, NC
- Airport: Elkin Municipal
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Collision: Midair collision
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.2602° N, 80.7191° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.2602&lon=-80.7191&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2158T, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2158T) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Schweizer 269C (registry code 8059502, https://openairdocs.org/model/schweizer-269c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming HIO-360-D1A (registry code 41893, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-hio-360-d1a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SCHWEIZER 269C
- Reported engine: LYCOMING HIO-360-D1A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 14,000 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA22LA290](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA290) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220623010981A

## Narrative

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

AT 1055AM ON JUNE 23 2022 AIRCRAFT WAS AT A 1500 MSL (500-600) AGL 3.5

ESE OF KZEF. 36.26N/80.72W. 1,037FT GND ELEV. AFTER DEPARTURE THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED A DRONE HOVERING IN ITS PATH.

THE DRONE IMPACTED THE HELICOPTER MAIN ROTOR BLADE AND DISINTEGRATED.

THE PILOT FELT NO VIBRATION AFTER THE IMPACT AND RETURNED TO THE KZEF AIRPORT 3.5 MILES AWAY. THE PILOT LANDED ON THE SIDE OF RWY 25 AND SHUTDOWN THE HELICOPTER. PILOT CALLED HIS INSPECTOR AUTHORIZATION (IA) TO EVALUATE DAMAGE AND CALLED FAA FAASTEAM INSPECTOR AT THE GSO FSDO AND YADKIN COUNTY SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT. FAA INSPECTOR WENT TO THE AIRCRAFT AT KZEF AND INTERVIEWED PILOT AND TOOK PICTURES OF DAMAGE ON ONE OF THE THREE MAIN ROTOR BLADES. IN ADDITION, HE REQUESTED A PILOT WRITTEN STATEMENT. FAA FRONT LINE MANAGER ASSIGNED AN INSPECTOR IN CHARGE (IIC). IIC CONTACTED THE ROC AND DETERMINED THE MAIN ROTOR DAMAGE TO BE SUBSTAINTIAL MAKING THE OCCURANCE AN ACCIDENT. THE SATELLITE VIEW OF WHERE THE PILOT REPORTED THE IMPACT SHOWED A CAMPGROUND AND POWERLINES CLOSE TO THE REPORT AREA AS POSSIBLE LAUNCH SITES FOR A DRONE. DROVE TO CAMPGROUND MET WITH CAMPGROUND MANAGER TO GAIN PERMISSION TO SEARCH THE AREA FOR THE REMAINS OF A DRONE. THE MANAGER ESCORTED THE IIC AROUND THE ENTIRE AREA COVERING OVER 20 TO 50 ACRES. NO REMAINS WERE FOUND OF A DRONE. IN ADDITION, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT SEARCHED THE AREA AND FOUND NO REMAINS. THE ELECTICAL POWERLINE OWNER WAS CONTACTED TO SEE IF THEY HAD BEEN INSPECTING POWER LINES WITH DRONES THE DAY AND TIME OF THE REPORTED IMPACT. THE ELECTICAL POWERLINE OWNER RESPONDED IN WRITING THAT THEY HAD NOT BEEN OPERATING DRONES IN THE AREA. THE NTSB INVESTIGATOR WANTED THE MAIN ROTOR IMPACT POINT SWABBED FOR POSSIBLE BIRD DNA. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE IMPACT POINT WAS SWABBED FOR DNA AND THE SAMPLE SENT TO THE LAB IN WASHINGTON DC. THE LAB RESULTS CAME BACK WITH NO BIRD DNA FOUND AT THE IMPACT POINT. WITH NO DRONE REMAINS FOUND, EYEWITNESSES AND NO BIRD DNA FOUND THE INVESTIGATION IS COMPLETE AND CLOSED.

## 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 ERA22LA290](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA290), Jun 23, 2022: Schweizer 300 C (N2158T), Boonville, NC, substantial damage. Probable cause: The helicopter’s impact with a non-biological object, which resulted in substantial damage to a main rotor blade.

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.