- Date
- February 1, 2015, 15:16 local (20:16 UTC)
- Place
- Carthage, NY
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N20059Schweizer 269C 1
- Defining event
- Maneuvering: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 29, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20150201001569A
- Case key
- 90710
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The non-helicopter-rated pilot's improper decision to operate the helicopter at low-level and his inability to adequately see the horizon over snow and ice, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The non-helicopter-rated pilot reported that while performing a bank, at low level, above a frozen river, he lost sight of the horizon and the helicopter impacted the frozen river. The helicopter came to rest on its left side, which resulted in substantial damage to the main rotor, tailboom, and cockpit structure. The non-helicopter-rated pilot further reported to a representative of the Federal Aviation Administration and Sheriff's Deputies that the helicopter was functioning "normally" at the time of impact and that "somehow I must have lost sight of the horizon in all the snow and ice." No preimpact malfunctions or abnormalities were noted with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The non helicopter-rated pilot reported that while performing a bank, at low level, above a frozen river, he lost sight of the horizon and the helicopter impacted the frozen river. The helicopter came to rest on its left side, which resulted in substantial damage to the main rotor, tailboom, and cockpit structure. The non helicopter-rated pilot further reported to a representative of the Federal Aviation Administration and Sheriff's Deputies that the helicopter was functioning "normally" at the time of impact and that "somehow I must have lost sight of the horizon in all the snow and ice." No preimpact malfunctions or abnormalities were noted with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N20059
- Reported as
- Schweizer 269C 1
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0053
- Built
- 1997
- Airframe hours
- 2,797
- Engine
- Lycoming HO-360-C1A, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 27, 2014 · 192 hours before
- Departed
- Unknown, NY
- Destination
- Unknown, NY
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 56
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Restraint
- 3-point
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 11,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -11 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- GTB, 6 nm away
Docket · 7
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 17, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.0 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.