# NTSB CEN11CA022: Schweizer 269C, N20130, Englewood, CO, October 16, 2010 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: October 16, 2010, 10:35 local (16:35 UTC) - Place: Englewood, CO - Coordinates: 39.565555, -104.83889 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.5656&lon=-104.8389&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 16, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 77618 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN11CA022 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/77618/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=77618 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11CA022 ## Probable cause The student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the helicopter during landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot was landing the helicopter in a field on his third solo landing of the day. During landing, the helicopter began to yaw and he added engine power in an attempt to correct. The helicopter began to spin and after two to three 360-degree rotations, the student pilot reduced collective input and reduced the engine throttle in an attempt to perform an autorotation from a hover. The helicopter landed hard and came to rest in an upright position. The helicopter’s fuselage sustained structural damage during the mishap. The student pilot reported no malfunctions or defects with the helicopter. ## Factual narrative The student pilot, with approximately four hours of solo flight time, was landing the single-engine helicopter in a field. On his third solo landing of the day the helicopter began to yaw. As the student pilot added engine power in an attempt to correct for the yaw, the helicopter started to spin. After two to three 360 degree rotations, the student pilot reduced collective input and rolled off the engine throttle to attempt a hovering auto landing. The helicopter landed hard and came to rest in an upright position. The student pilot shut down the helicopter and was able to exit unassisted. The helicopter’s fuselage sustained structural damage during the mishap. No malfunctions or defects with the helicopter’s controls or other systems were reported. ## Aircraft - Registration: N20130 (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: SCHWEIZER 269C - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: S1786 - Airframe hours: 2670 - Engines: LYCOMING HIO-360 SER 190 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Mountain One Helicopters - Registered owner: Beacon Aviation LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Unknown, October 1, 2010 - Departed: APA, Englewood, CO - Destination: APA, Englewood, CO - Airport: APA, Centennial Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 38; injuries: none; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 39 total, 38 in this make and model, 4 as pilot in command, 6 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 360° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 54 °F, dew point 30 °F - Altimeter: 30.37 inHg - Observed at: APA ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20101016047619A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20101016047619A), Oct 16, 2010: Schweizer 269C, Englewood, CO, Substantial damage. On 10/16/2010 at approximately 11:00 LCL, a Schweizer helecopter susstained substantial damage while landing near Centenial Airport (kapa) one person on board… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 17, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=77618. 2.0 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 2.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40339311&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF 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. --- 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.