# NTSB ERA14CA080: Schweizer 269C, N2056J, White Plains, NY, December 28, 2013

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: December 28, 2013, 08:30 local (13:30 UTC)
- Place: White Plains, NY
- Coordinates: 41.066944, -73.707496 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.0669&lon=-73.7075&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report February 4, 2014
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FSDO/FAA
- NTSB case key (mKey): 88597
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA14CA080
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/88597/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88597
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14CA080

## Probable cause

The flight instructor's failure to maintain airspeed during a practice autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing and subsequent loss of control

## Findings

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

- [Attention/monitoring: monitoring equip/instruments](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021525): Personnel issues › Psychological · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Schweizer 269C, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021525/cases.md?model=8059502), [All aircraft, 142 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021525/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 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=8059502), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Schweizer 269C, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md?model=8059502), [All aircraft, 1,391 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Incorrect use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Schweizer 269C, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=8059502), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

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

- [Landing: Simulated/training event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/600); cases with it: [Schweizer 269C, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/600/sequence.md?model=8059502), [All aircraft, 173 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/600/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Schweizer 269C, 17 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=8059502), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: 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

The flight instructor (CFI) was demonstrating a 180-degree autorotation to a student pilot while performing an instructional flight. The CFI reported entering the autorotation when, at about 100 feet agl, the indicated airspeed suddenly dropped to about 40 knots. He pushed the cyclic forward in an attempt to regain airspeed and flared at about 50 feet agl in an attempt to slow down the helicopter's rate of descent. The helicopter landed on the edge of the runway on the back of the skids, bounced back into the air, and began an accelerated yaw to the right. According to the CFI, he lowered the collective and reduced throttle while the helicopter spun four or five times. The helicopter subsequently impacted the ground, and came to rest on its left side. A postaccident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to the cabin and the tail boom. The CFI reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

## Factual narrative

The flight instructor (CFI) was demonstrating a 180-degree autorotation to a student pilot while performing an instructional flight. The CFI reported entering the autorotation when, at about 100 feet agl, the indicated airspeed suddenly dropped to about 40 knots. He pushed the cyclic forward in an attempt to regain airspeed and flared at about 50 feet agl in an attempt to slow down the helicopter's rate of descent. The helicopter landed on the edge of the runway on the back of the skids, bounced back into the air, and began an accelerated yaw to the right. According to the CFI, he lowered the collective and reduced throttle while the helicopter spun four or five times. The helicopter subsequently impacted the ground, and came to rest on its left side. A postaccident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to the cabin and the tail boom. The CFI reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N2056J](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2056J-2016-08-11), registration cancelled 2016-08-11, S/N S1820, built 2001 (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: S1820
- Year built: 2001
- Airframe hours: 7504
- Engines: Lycoming HIO-360-D1A 190 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Wings Air LLC
- Registered owner: Wings Air LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, December 6, 2013
- Departed: HPN, White Plains, NY
- Destination: HPN, White Plains, NY
- Airport: HPN, Westchester County, runway 29, 4,451 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 20; injuries: minor; flight instructor, commercial; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review June 19, 2013; seat: right; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 446 total, 257 in this make and model, 367.7 as pilot in command, 88 in the last 90 days, 24.7 in the last 30 days, 0.8 in the last 24 hours
- Student pilot; age 16; injuries: none; student; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 96.8 total, 96.8 in this make and model, 9.6 as pilot in command, 21.3 in the last 90 days, 7 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 250° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 37 °F, dew point 19 °F
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observed at: HPN

## 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 20131228024809A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20131228024809A), Dec 28, 2013: Schweizer 269C, White Plains, NY, Substantial damage. On December 28, 2013 at approximately 08:35 hours local (13:35Z) a Schweizer 269C (helicopter), s/n S1820 registration N2056J, was conducting auto-rotation…

## Docket (6 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 21, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88597. 736 KB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 499 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40407150&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF
- Memorandum for Record (FAA) (item 2, .PDF, 54 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40407288&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20(FAA)-Master.PDF
- Memorandum for Record (Weather) (item 3, .PDF, 54 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40407158&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20(Weather)-Master.PDF
- Photograph #1: Aft view of helicopter (Courtesy of FAA) (item 4, .PDF, 36 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40407159&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photograph%20%231%3A%20Aft%20view%20of%20helicopter%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF
- Photograph #2: Front view of helicopter (Courtesy of FAA) (item 5, .PDF, 38 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40407160&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photograph%20%232%3A%20Front%20view%20of%20helicopter%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF
- Photograph #3: View of tailboom (Courtesy of FAA) (item 6, .PDF, 56 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40407163&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photograph%20%233%3A%20View%20of%20tailboom%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-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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