- Date
- April 4, 2010, 07:45 local (13:45 UTC)
- Place
- Idledale, CO
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N67TKSchweizer 269C
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 1, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Schweizer Aircraft, Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20100404031119A
- Case key
- 75629
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 flight instructor's delayed remedial actions to regain rotor rpm, resulting in a rapid descent and hard landing.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The helicopter flight instructor and private pilot were conducting an approach to a pinnacle landing pad. Two previous passes were made and both pilots estimated winds to be from the northeast at 8 knots. While approaching the landing pad from the southwest, the flight instructor noticed that the helicopter's rpms were slightly low and he reminded the private pilot to increase power until the rpms were in the green arc of the rpm gauge. The private pilot did not increase power sufficiently enough to place the rotor rpm in the green arc and the helicopter began to descend rapidly. The flight instructor took control of the helicopter, increased power, and attempted to reverse course and travel downhill. The helicopter landed hard, bounced, and rolled approximately 1 1/4 times before coming to rest on its right side and sustaining substantial damage to its fuselage and tail boom. An examination of the airframe by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector did not reveal any preimpact anomalies. Additionally, neither pilot reported a malfunction of the airframe or engine.
Factual narrative
The flight instructor and private pilot were conducting an approach to a pinnacle landing pad. Two previous passes were made and both pilots estimated winds to be from the northeast at 8 knots. While approaching the landing pad from the southwest, the flight instructor noticed that the helicopter's rpm were slightly low and he reminded the private pilot to increase power until the rpm's were in the green arc of the rpm gauge. The private pilot did not increase power sufficiently enough to place the rotor rpm in the green arc and the helicopter began to descend rapidly. The flight instructor took control of the helicopter, increased power, and attempted to reverse course and travel downhill. The helicopter landed hard, bounced, and rolled approximately 1 1/4 times before coming to rest on its right side. Substantial damage was sustained to the fuselage and tail boom. An examination of the airframe by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector did not reveal any pre-impact anomalies. Additionally, neither pilot reported a malfunction of the airframe or engine.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N67TK
- Reported as
- Schweizer 269C
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- S1838
- Airframe hours
- 1,090
- Engine
- Lycoming, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Aerial Resources LLC, doing business as Front Range Helicopters
- Registered owner
- Aerial Resources LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · March 30, 2010
- Departed
- KBJC · Broomfield, CO
- Destination
- KBJC · Broomfield, CO
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 34
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 16, 2010
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 116 total · 116 in this make and model · 56 as pilot in command · 80 in the last 90 days · 46 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 29
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 21, 2008
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 185 total · 185 in this make and model · 134 as pilot in command · 11 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 16 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 36 °F, dew point 19 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.79 inHg
- Observed at
- KBJC, 15 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 20, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.4 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.