# NTSB ERA10CA399: Schweizer 269C, N6143K, Baldwin, FL, August 4, 2010 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: August 4, 2010, 11:15 local (15:15 UTC) - Place: Baldwin, FL - Coordinates: 30.311111, -81.946662 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.3111&lon=-81.9467&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering-hover: Loss of tail rotor effectiveness](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/242) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 20, 2010 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 76858 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA10CA399 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/76858/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=76858 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10CA399 ## Probable cause A loss of tail rotor effectiveness during a hover. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: yaw control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062024): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Capability exceeded (probable cause); cases with it: [Schweizer 269C, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062024/cases.md?model=8059502), [All aircraft, 149 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062024/cases.md) - [Wind: variable wind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034025): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on equipment; cases with it: [Schweizer 269C, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034025/cases.md?model=8059502), [All aircraft, 113 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034025/cases.md) - [Temp/humidity/pressure: high temperature](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031015): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on equipment; cases with it: [Schweizer 269C, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031015/cases.md?model=8059502), [All aircraft, 30 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031015/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering-hover: Loss of tail rotor effectiveness](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/242) (defining event); cases with it: [Schweizer 269C, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/242/sequence.md?model=8059502), [All aircraft, 100 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/242/sequence.md) - [Maneuvering-hover: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Schweizer 269C, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=8059502), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the pilot of the helicopter, during a mosquito breeding inspection flight he entered a hover about 2 feet above a field of tall vegetation and "within 10-15 seconds the nose of the aircraft began to yaw to the right." The pilot corrected with full left anti-torque pedal and attempted to "enter into translational lift" as the helicopter continued to rotate. The right skid contacted the ground and the helicopter rolled onto its side, sustaining substantial damage to the main rotor blades, fuselage, and skids. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions of the helicopter prior to the accident. He recommended that, "inspection during a cooler part of the day or with presence of wind, or inspecting while moving forward could have prevented the accident." About the time of the accident an airport weather station about 6 miles southeast of the accident site reported variable winds at 5 knots and a temperature of 31 degrees Celsius. ## Factual narrative According to the pilot, during a mosquito breeding inspection flight, he entered a hover about 2 feet above a field of tall vegetation, and "within 10-15 seconds the nose of the aircraft began to yaw to the right." The pilot corrected with full left anti-torque pedal and attempted to "enter into translational lift" as the helicopter continued to rotate. The right skid contacted the ground, and the helicopter rolled onto its side, sustaining substantial damage to the main rotor blades, fuselage, and skids. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions of the helicopter prior to the accident. He recommended that, "inspection during a cooler part of the day or with presence of wind, or inspecting while moving forward could have prevented the accident." About the time of the accident, an airport weather station about 6 miles southeast of the accident site reported winds variable at 5 knots and temperature 31 degrees C. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6143K](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6143K-2013-02-25), registration cancelled 2013-02-25, S/N S1750, built 1997 (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: S1750 - Airframe hours: 1513 - Engines: LYCOMING HIO-360 SER 205 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Aerial observation, Public use - Operator: City of Jacksonville Mosquito Control - Registered owner: Horseshoe Aviation LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 1, 2009, 30 hours before - Departed: FA41, Jacksonville, FL - Destination: Baldwin, FL ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 48; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review July 23, 2009; seat: left; flight hours: 4,099 total, 875 in this make and model, 3,743 as pilot in command, 40 in the last 90 days, 22 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 75 °F - Altimeter: 30.05 inHg - Observed at: VQQ, 6 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 20100804042899A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100804042899A), Aug 4, 2010: Schweizer 269C, Jacksonville, FL, Substantial damage. The pilot stated while in a hover the tail began to whip around to the right. He corrected by adding left pedal but it did not stop rotating. The helicopter… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 5, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=76858. 1.4 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 567 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40335336&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Pilot's Statement (item 2, .PDF, 11 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40335337&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%27s%20Statement-Master.PDF - Weather Reports and Records (item 3, .PDF, 20 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40335338&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports%20and%20Records-Master.PDF - Photo: Helicopter at Accident Site (item 4, .PDF, 795 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40335339&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%3A%20Helicopter%20at%20Accident%20Site-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. --- 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.