- Date
- February 18, 1995, 13:42 local (19:42 UTC)
- Place
- Addison, AL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N11XCSchweizer 269B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 24, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950218002129A
- Case key
- 3524
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's improper use of the throttle control during a descent which resulted in a hard landing.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
According to the pilot, during a descent for a normal landing, he inadvertently rolled the throttle off. As the helicopter approached the ground, he attempted to recover but was unable to arrest the sink rate. The helicopter collided with the ground and broke the right skid. No mechanical problems were reported.
Factual narrative
On February 18, 1995, at 1342 central standard time, a Schweizer 269B, N11XC, rolled over during a normal touchdown on runway 22 at Addison Municipal Airport in Addison, Alabama. The personal flight operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The helicopter was substantially damaged; the pilot and passenger were not injured. The flight departed Hanceville, Alabama, at 1242 hours.
According to the pilot, he was on an approach for a normal landing. When he applied collective to arrest the descent, there was no power response. As he approached the ground, the pilot realized that he had inadvertently rolled the throttle off. The helicopter touched down hard on the right skid and broke the landing gear. There were no mechanical problems with the helicopter.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N11XC
- Reported as
- Schweizer 269B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 64-D102
- Airframe hours
- 7,133
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-260-A1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Wallace State College
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 5, 1995 · 60 hours before
- Departed
- NONE · Hanceville, AL
- Airport
- 2AB · Addison Municipal Airport, runway 22, 2,800 × 200 ft, grass/turf
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 38
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 274 total · 50 in this make and model · 33 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,100 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BHM, 45 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N11XC · 4
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.