# NTSB DEN03LA115: Schweizer 269C, N3623U, Bountiful, UT, June 28, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 28, 2003, 17:15 local (23:15 UTC) - Place: Bountiful, UT - Coordinates: 40.868057, -111.927223 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.8681&lon=-111.9272&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 30, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 57328 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN03LA115 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/57328/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN03LA115 ## Probable cause the pilot not maintaining aircraft control during the aerial taxi. Factors contributing to the accident were the oscillating cyclic, the pilot's diverted attention, and the gusting crosswind. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, taxi - aerial - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - diverted attention, pilot in command (contributing factor) - rotorcraft flight control,cyclic control - oscillation (contributing factor) - In flight collision with terrain/water, taxi - aerial - weather condition - crosswind (contributing factor) - weather condition - gusts (contributing factor) ## Analysis The pilot was hover taxiing from the west side of the airport to his hangar on the east side. He said he had lifted the helicopter "up to about a three-foot hover," when the cyclic started to rotate "in about a six to eight inch circle" in his hand. The pilot reported he heard a "low pitch or frequency oscillation." The pilot said, "The helicopter started a strong uncontrollable roll to the left. I tried to push the cyclic to the right but found no change in stopping the roll or direction of movement." The pilot said that he knew there were airplanes and people in the direction the helicopter was heading. The pilot said he decided to put the helicopter down on its side to stop any further movement. A witness saw the helicopter lift off the ramp to approximately 3 to 5 feet. The tail rotor then struck the ramp and the helicopter impacted on its left side. An examination of the helicopter showed substantial damage to the main rotor blades, tail rotor, skids, and cockpit area. An examination of the helicopter's systems revealed no anomalies. The wind conditions in the area, approximately 30 minutes prior to the accident were 350 degrees at 11 knots with gusts to 16 knots. According to the mechanic who had performed the previous annual inspection on the helicopter, when in hover, the helicopter would experience a small amount of stick swirl. The mechanic said that "if you work it, it [the swirl] will go away." ## Factual narrative On June 28, 2003, at 1715 mountain daylight time, a Schweizer 269C helicopter, N3623U, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during aerial taxi at Bountiful-Skypark Airport (BTF), Bountiful, Utah. The commercial pilot was uninjured. The local flight was being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight had originated at approximately 1615, and was taxiing to parking when the accident occurred. The pilot reported that during the hour previous to the accident he had been flying in the pattern at BTF. The pilot said that he was hover taxiing from the west side of the airport to his hangar on the east side. He said he had lifted the helicopter "up to about a three-foot hover," when the cyclic started to rotate "in about a six to eight inch circle" in his hand. The pilot reported he heard a "low pitch or frequency oscillation." The pilot said, "The helicopter started a strong uncontrollable roll to the left. I tried to push the cyclic to the right but found no change in stopping the roll or direction of movement." The pilot said that he knew there were airplanes and people in the direction the helicopter was heading. The pilot said he decided to put the helicopter down on its' side to stop any further movement. A witness said the helicopter lifted off the ramp approximately 3 to 5 feet. The tail rotor then struck the ramp and the helicopter impacted on its left side. An examination of the helicopter at the accident site showed substantial damage to the main rotor blades, rotor head, tail rotor, and both skids. The Plexiglas windscreen was broken out and fragmented. Flying fragments from the helicopter struck and caused damage to two airplanes, a hangar wall, and a mechanics shop door. The helicopter was further examined the week of August 26, 2003. Flight control continuity was confirmed. Flight control action was smooth. An examination of the main rotor, engine, engine controls, and other helicopter systems revealed no anomalies that could have contributed to the accident. At 1656, the wind conditions at Salt Lake City International Airport, 5 nautical miles south of BTF were 350 degrees at 11 knots with gusts to 16 knots. According to the mechanic who had performed the previous annual inspection on the helicopter; when in a hover, the helicopter would experience a small amount of stick swirl. The mechanic said that "if you work it, it [the swirl] will go away." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3623U](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3623U-2012-10-09), registration cancelled 2012-10-09, S/N S1568, built 1991 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Schweizer 269C - Registry model: [Schweizer 269C](https://openairdocs.org/model/schweizer-269c) (registry code 8059502) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming HIO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-hio-360-series) (registry code 41524, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 1568 - Airframe hours: 3667.5 - Engines: Lycoming HIO-360-D1A 190 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: K & T Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 1, 2003, 15.5 hours before - Departed: BTF, Bountiful, UT - Destination: BTF, Bountiful, UT - Airport: BTF, Bountiful-Skypark, runway 34, 4,700 × 70 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 49; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review June 7, 2003; seat: left; flight hours: 1,361 total, 280 in this make and model, 1,192 as pilot in command, 24 in the last 90 days, 16 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 350° at 11 knots, gusting 16 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 28 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: SLC, 5 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20030628013229A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030628013229A), Jun 28, 2003: Hughes 269C, Bountiful, UT, Substantial damage. (-23) On 06/28/03, at 1748 MDT, N3623U, a Schweizer 269C helicopter piloted by paul michael taylor, sustained substantial damage while being repositioned at… 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.