- Date
- July 8, 2010, 18:30 local (Jul 9, 2010, 00:30 UTC)
- Place
- Santa Rosa, NM
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9421GSchweizer 269C
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 21, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards Disctrict Office
- Case key
- 76607
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 student pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter while landing in gusty surface winds conditions. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's inadequate monitoring of the flight.
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
According to the written statement provided by the flight instructor, during the cross country flight they elected to divert due to thunderstorms building in the area. While on approach to runway 19, the helicopter encountered a wind gust (estimated to be 45 knots) and "lost tail rotor authority." The flight instructor immediately took control of the helicopter, from the student; however, the tail rotor struck the runway. The flight instructor was able to level and land the helicopter without further incident. The helicopter was examined by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealing that one frame tube was broken, the skid cross tube was bent, and a tail rotor blade was damaged. The flight instructor confirmed that there were no mechanical anomalies with the helicopter prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
According to the written statement provided by the flight instructor, during the cross country flight they elected to divert due to thunderstorms building in the area. While on approach to runway 19, the helicopter encountered a wind gust (estimated to be 45 knots) and "lost tail rotor authority." The flight instructor immediately took control of the helicopter, from the student; however, the tail rotor struck the runway. The flight instructor was able to level and land the helicopter without further incident. The helicopter was examined by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealing that one frame tube was broken, the skid cross tube was bent, and a tail rotor blade was damaged. The flight instructor confirmed that there were no mechanical anomalies with the helicopter prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9421G
- Reported as
- Schweizer 269C
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- S1847
- Airframe hours
- 519
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360 SER, 205 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Cloud 9 Helicopters
- Registered owner
- North Bay Enterprises Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 12, 2010
- Departed
- Propwash, TX
- Destination
- Sante Fe, NM
- Airport
- KSXU · Santa Rosa Route 66 Airport, runway 19, 5,013 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 38
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 28, 2010
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 530 total · 85 in this make and model · 150 in the last 90 days · 70 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 47
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 10, 2010
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 130 total · 70 in the last 90 days · 40 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 8 knots, gusting 45
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Temperature
- 70 °F
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 23, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 449 KB in all.