# Accident 20260705007569A: Schweizer 269C, Talkeetna, AK, July 5, 2026

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 5, 2026, 15:25 local time
- Place: Talkeetna, AK
- Airport: Talkeetna
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 62.4968° N, 151.4582° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=62.4968&lon=-151.4582&mi=10
- Aircraft: N907AL, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N907AL) (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: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 2,546 total, 62 in this make and model, 21 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC26LA068](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC26LA068) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260705007569A

## Narrative

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

ON AN APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE FINAL, AT 500'-600' AGL, PILOT PERFORMED PRE-LANDING CHECKS AND NOTICED ABNORMALLY HIGH OIL PRESSURE READING. OIL PRESSURE GAUGE NEEDLE WAS "PEGGED" BEYOND THE RED LINE. STATED OIL TEMP GAUGE WAS HIGHER THAN NORMAL BUT AT TOP OF THE GREEN ARC.

SHORTLY AFTER, PILOT NOTICED RPM DECAY (2800-2900 RPM) BELOW THE GREEN ARC. (HELICOPTER NOT EQUIPPED WITH LOW RPM WARNING SYSTEM.) PILOT RESPONDED BY ADDING THROTTLE BUT NOTICED NO CHANGE IN RPM. ENGINE AND ROTOR RPM CONTINUED TO DECAY. PILOT ENTERED AUTOROTATION BY ROLLING THROTTLE OFF AND LOWERING COLLECTIVE. IN ATTEMPT TO COMPLETE DITCHING PROCEDURE, AIRCRAFT MADE HARD CONTACT WITH WATER.

THE PILOT AND PASSENGER EGRESSED HELICOPTER. THE AIRCRAFT SANK IMMEDIATELY (LAKE IS 400' DEEP). THE PILOT AND PASSENGER SWAM TOWARDS SHORE AND WERE PICKED UP BY A NEIGHBOR IN A BOAT.

## 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 ANC26LA068](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC26LA068), Jul 5, 2026: Schweizer 269C (N907AL), Skwentna, AK, substantial damage, investigation ongoing

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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