# NTSB CEN13LA218: Schweizer 269C-1, N2065P, Cleveland, OH, March 29, 2013

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: March 29, 2013, 14:45 local (18:45 UTC)
- Place: Cleveland, OH
- Coordinates: 41.517501, -81.683334 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.5175&lon=-81.6833&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor
- Status: Completed, report March 24, 2014
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 86590
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN13LA218
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/86590/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=86590
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13LA218

## Probable cause

The pilot’s improper flare with a high descent rate, which resulted in a hard landing.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Performance/control parameters: descent rate](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062037): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Related operating info (probable cause); cases with it: [Schweizer 269C-1, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062037/cases.md?model=8059504), [All aircraft, 242 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062037/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not specified (probable cause); cases with it: [Schweizer 269C-1, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=8059504), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063000): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Schweizer 269C-1, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063000/cases.md?model=8059504), [All aircraft, 111 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063000/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Schweizer 269C-1, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=8059504), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md)

## Analysis

After a local flight, the helicopter landed hard, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. The postaccident examination of the helicopter did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. It is likely that the pilot did not maintain awareness of the helicopter's descent rate and airspeed during the landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.

## Factual narrative

On March 29, 2013, about 1445 eastern daylight time, a Schweizer 269C-1 helicopter, N2065P, experienced a hard landing at the Burke Lakefront Airport (KBKL), Cleveland, Ohio. The private pilot was not injured and the helicopter was substantially damaged. The helicopter was registered to and operated by JW Helicopter LLC under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. The local flight departed KBKL at an unknown time. According to information collected by the responding Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the pilot did not compensate for the helicopter's descent rate during the flare and the helicopter landed hard. Substantial damage was sustained to the fuselage. The pilot reportedly had accumulated an estimated 80 hours of total time. The pilot had not submitted a completed NTSB Form 6120 prior to the completion of the report.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N2065P](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2065P), registered now, S/N 0140, built 2002 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SCHWEIZER 269C-1
- Registry model: [Schweizer 269C-1](https://openairdocs.org/model/schweizer-269c-1) (registry code 8059504) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming HIO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-hio-360-series) (registry code 41524, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Helicopter
- Serial number: 0140
- Engines: LYCOMING HIO-360-G1A 190 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Jw Helicopter LLC
- Registered owner: Jw Helicopter LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: KBKL, Cleveland, OH
- Destination: KBKL, Cleveland, OH
- Airport: KBKL, Burke Lakefront

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 32; injuries: none; private; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; seat: right; flight hours: 80 total, 80 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 280° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 39 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observed at: KBKL

## 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 20130329004969A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130329004969A), Mar 29, 2013: Schweizer 269C-1, Cleveland, OH, Substantial damage. Pilot failed to maintain awareness to the rate of descent and air speed while landing and incurred a hard landing.

## Docket (1 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 5, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=86590. 52 KB in all.

- Correspondence: FAA FSDO inspector (item 1, .PDF, 52 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40409865&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Correspondence%3A%20FAA%20FSDO%20inspector-Master.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.

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