# NTSB ERA10LA323: Schweizer 269C-1, N247FG, Asheville, NC, June 21, 2010 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 21, 2010, 14:00 local (18:00 UTC) - Place: Asheville, NC - Coordinates: 35.436111, -82.541946 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.4361&lon=-82.5419&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering-hover: Settling with power/vortex ring state](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/244) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 19, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 76398 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA10LA323 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/76398/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=76398 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10LA323 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain forward airspeed, which resulted in a settling with power encounter. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Schweizer 269C-1, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=8059504), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Schweizer 269C-1, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=8059504), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) - [Wind: tailwind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation; cases with it: [Schweizer 269C-1, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015/cases.md?model=8059504), [All aircraft, 594 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering-hover: Settling with power/vortex ring state](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/244) (defining event); cases with it: [Schweizer 269C-1, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/244/sequence.md?model=8059504), [All aircraft, 52 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/244/sequence.md) - [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Schweizer 269C-1, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=8059504), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot departed for a local photo documentary flight with the helicopter about 80 pounds under gross weight. About 20 minutes after departure, the passenger spotted an area of invasive plant species which he wanted to film. The pilot then performed a 360-degree turn and approached the area in straight and level flight, between 30-40 knots to maintain translational lift. The passenger reported that they were closer than usual as they lined up for the approach. The pilot heard a pitch change in the engine and lowered the collective slightly and increased the throttle; however, the helicopter began to descend. Shortly after, the pilot stated, "she’s settling," and the passenger noted they were nearing the top of the trees going about 5-10 mph. The passenger reported that the helicopter came to a very slow stop above the trees and then felt like they were slowly sinking. He stated the engine felt like it was bogging down just prior to the helicopter beginning a slow, straight descent until the rotor blades impacted trees and the helicopter dropped to the ground. The engine was test run on the helicopter and no preimpact mechanical anomalies were noted. Examination of a videotape taken by the passenger during the accident sequence revealed that the engine continued to run, with no discernible engine anomalies prior to the accident. According to the Federal Aviation Administration’s Rotorcraft Flying Handbook, "settling with power" defines when the helicopter keeps settling even though full engine power is applied. Among the conditions listed that were conducive to settling with power were: attempting to hover out of ground effect without maintaining precise altitude control, or downwind or steep power approaches at low forward airspeed. ## Factual narrative HISTORY OF FLIGHT On June 21, 2010, at 1400 eastern daylight time, a Schweizer 269C-1 helicopter, N247FG, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain following a loss of engine power in Asheville, North Carolina. The certificated commercial pilot and the passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight which originated at Foothills Regional Airport (MRN), Morgantown, North Carolina. The aerial photography flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The purpose of the flight was for the passenger to film footage for a documentary, specifically capturing the local “kudzu,” an invasive plant species. According to the pilot, they departed Asheville Regional Airport (AVL), Asheville, North Carolina around 1045 and flew in the local area, filming, until they needed to refuel. The pilot then landed at MRN. The helicopter was fueled with 19 gallons of fuel, filling the fuel tanks to 25 gallons of total fuel. The pilot then departed MRN and flew southwest toward AVL. After about 20 minutes, the passenger spotted an area of “kudzu” he wanted to film. The pilot performed a 360-degree turn and approached the area “straight and level between 30-40 knots to maintain translational lift.” As the helicopter was abeam the “kudzu” the pilot heard a pitch change in the engine and noted that the engine/rotor rpm was “in the bottom of the green,” and dropping lower. The helicopter was also descending into the trees. The pilot lowered the collective slightly and increased the throttle “to get the rpm back,” however the helicopter continued to descend. The engine continued to run, but it was “bogging down.” Shortly after, the helicopter impacted the “kudzu,” and rolled to the left. The passenger reported that they were "several hundred feet above the trees," and as they started to pass the first batch of kudzu he noticed they "were a little closer than usual." Shortly after, the pilot stated, "she's settling". According to the passenger, the pilot didn't sound concerned and he continued filming. About 10 seconds later, the pilot stated, "we're going to go down". The passenger noted they were "right on top of the trees going about 5-10mph." The passenger reported that the helicopter came to a very slow stop above the trees and then felt like they were slowly sinking. He stated that the engine felt like "it was bogging down," just prior to the helicopter beginning a slow, vertical decent until the rotor blades impacted trees and the helicopter dropped to the ground. PERSONNEL INFORMATION The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate and a flight instructor certificate with ratings for rotorcraft-helicopter and instrument helicopter. His most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued on November 19, 2007. The pilot reported 441 hours of total flight experience, 221 of which were in make and model of the accident helicopter. He alsoreported 33 hours in the previous 90 days, all of which were in make and model. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION The helicopter was powered by a single Lycoming HO-360-C1A, 180-horsepower engine. It was manufactured in 2001. The most recent annual inspection was completed on April 6, 2010, at a total aircraft time of 3,749 hours. A weight and balance calculation was performed for the accident flight, which resulted in an approximate weight of 1,670 pounds. The maximum gross weight for the helicopter was 1,750. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION The weather reported at AVL, 18 nautical miles to the southwest, at 1354, included wind from 190 degrees at 5 knots, 10 miles visibility, clear skies, temperature 29 degrees C, dew point 17 degrees C and altimeter setting 30.19 inches mercury. The calculated density altitude was 4,400 feet. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION Examination of the helicopter by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the main rotor blades sustained substantial damage. The helicopter was removed from the accident site and transported to a secure facility for further examination. The engine was test run on the helicopter, and would not start initially. The spark plugs were removed from the engine and the number 2 and 4 cylinder plugs were oil-fouled. They were cleaned and reinstalled and the engine was started again. It ran and power was increased to about 1,500 rpm. A magneto check was performed and a 50-rpm drop was noted on each magneto. An idle mixture check was performed as the helicopter was shut down. According to the inspector, the engine appeared to be running rich with arise of about 150 rpm. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The passenger provided a videotape which was taken during the accident sequence. Examination of the video revealed that the engine continued to run, with no change in power, during the accident sequence. According to the FAA Rotorcraft Flying Handbook, vortex ring state (settling with power) describes an aerodynamic condition where a helicopter may be in a vertical descent with up to maximum power applied, and little or no cyclic authority. The term “settling with power” comes from the fact that the helicopter keeps settling even though full engine power is applied. Among the conditions listed which were conducive to settling with power were: attempting to hover out of ground effect without maintaining precise altitude control, and downwind or steep power approaches at low forward airspeed. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N247FG](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N247FG-2010-12-22), registration cancelled 2010-12-22, S/N 0123 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: SCHWEIZER 269C-1 - Registry model: [Schweizer 269C-1](https://openairdocs.org/model/schweizer-269c-1) (registry code 8059504) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 0123 - Airframe hours: 3749 - Engines: LYCOMING HO-360 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Other work use, Part 91 - Operator: WNC Aviation - Registered owner: Spitzer Matthew - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 6, 2010 - Departed: MRN, Morganton, NC - Destination: AVL, Asheville, NC ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 42; injuries: minor; flight instructor, commercial; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review June 21, 2009; seat: left; flight hours: 441 total, 221 in this make and model, 374 as pilot in command, 33 in the last 90 days, 11 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 190° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 63 °F - Altimeter: 30.19 inHg - Observed at: AVL, 18 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 20100621037329A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100621037329A), Jun 21, 2010: Schweizer 269C-1, Asheville, NC, Minor damage. 06-22-10AIRCRAFT went down vertically into a heavily wooded area damaging main rotor blades and pilots canopy. Aircraft was located about 350 feet down… ## Docket (9 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 14, 2011, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=76398. 83.6 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 875 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40339575&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Pilot Statement (item 2, .PDF, 11 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40336774&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20Statement-Master.PDF - Passenger Statement (item 3, .PDF, 24 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40336777&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Passenger%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - Photo 1: Helicopter at accident site (photo courtesy of FAA) (item 4, .PDF, 894 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40336778&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%3A%20Helicopter%20at%20accident%20site%20(photo%20courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF - Photo 2: Aircraft at accident site (photo courtesy of FAA) (item 5, .PDF, 2.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40336779&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%3A%20Aircraft%20at%20accident%20site%20(photo%20courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF - FAA video of post-accident engine test run (item 6, AVI, 38.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40337529&FileExtension=avi&FileName=FAA%20video%20of%20post-accident%20engine%20test%20run-Master - FAA inspector statement (item 7, .PDF, 505 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40337911&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20inspector%20statement-Redacted.PDF - Recorded weather observations (item 8, .PDF, 432 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40337987&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Recorded%20weather%20observations-Master.PDF - Video taken by passenger (item 9, MP4, 40.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40339111&FileExtension=mp4&FileName=Video%20taken%20by%20passenger-Master 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.