# NTSB ERA20CA104: Schweizer 269C, N731TA, Ormond Beach, FL, February 17, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: February 17, 2020, 15:15 local (20:15 UTC) - Place: Ormond Beach, FL - Coordinates: 29.301111, -81.113891 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.3011&lon=-81.1139&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering-hover: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 25, 2020 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA / FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 100960 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA20CA104 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/100960/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100960 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20CA104 ## Probable cause The student pilot's improper pedal and cyclic input while maneuvering, which resulted in a loss of helicopter control. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Schweizer 269C-1, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=8059504), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Schweizer 269C-1, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md?model=8059504), [All aircraft, 1,391 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Schweizer 269C-1, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md?model=8059504), [All aircraft, 1,269 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering-hover: Other weather encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400); cases with it: [Schweizer 269C-1, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md?model=8059504), [All aircraft, 1,127 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md) - [Maneuvering-hover: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Schweizer 269C-1, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=8059504), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Maneuvering-hover: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Schweizer 269C-1, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=8059504), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Landing: Roll over](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/097); cases with it: [Schweizer 269C-1, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/097/sequence.md?model=8059504), [All aircraft, 261 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/097/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot reported that, while on his first solo flight in a helicopter, the wind began to increase. Concerned the wind may become unsafe, he decided to make a full-stop landing and complete the flight. After coming in for landing and while hovering over the runway, an air traffic controller instructed the student to exit the runway via the nearest taxiway. As he made a right pedal turn onto the taxiway, the helicopter began to yaw aggressively right. Concerned the helicopter was encountering a loss of tail rotor effectiveness, he applied additional right pedal and forward cyclic to increase airspeed and abort the landing. The helicopter began to spin uncontrollably and gain altitude. He rolled off the throttle and pulled aft cyclic and full collective, the right skid impacted the ground, and the helicopter then rolled onto its right side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tailboom and fuselage. The student reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative The pilot reported that, while on his first solo flight in a helicopter the wind began to increase. Concerned the wind may become unsafe, he deiced to make a full stop landing and complete the solo lesson. After landing and coming to a hover over the runway, air traffic control instructed him to exit the runway via nearest the taxiway. As he made a right pedal turn onto the taxiway the helicopter began to yaw aggressively to the right. Concerned the helicopter was encountering loss of tail rotor effectiveness, he applied additional right pedal and forward cyclic to increase airspeed and abort the landing. The helicopter begun to spin uncontrollably and gain altitude. He rolled off the throttle, pulled aft cyclic, and full collective, the right skid impacted the ground and rolled onto the helicopters right side.The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tailboom, and fuselage. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. The airport's automated weather observation station reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 030° at 7 knots. The pilot was landing the helicopter on runway 9. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N731TA](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N731TA), registered now, S/N 0236, built 2006 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Schweizer 269C (1) - Registry model: [Schweizer 269C-1](https://openairdocs.org/model/schweizer-269c-1) (registry code 8059504) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming HIO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-hio-360-series) (registry code 41524, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 0236 - Year built: 2006 - Airframe hours: 2717.5 - Engines: Lycoming HIO-360-G1A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Tomlinson Aviation Inc - Registered owner: Tomlinson Aviation Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, February 3, 2020 - Departed: OMN, Ormond Beach, FL - Destination: OMN, Ormond Beach, FL - Airport: OMN, Ormond Beach Muni, runway 09, 4,005 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 39; injuries: none; student; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; seat: right; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 64.6 total, 13.5 in this make and model, 14 in the last 90 days, 7.6 in the last 30 days, 0.6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 30° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 30.06 inHg - Observed at: KOMN ## 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 20200217006969A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200217006969A), Feb 17, 2020: Schweizer 269C-1, Ormond Beach, FL, Substantial damage. On February 17, 2020, at approximately 15.16 local time, the pilot in command of N731TA, a Schweizer helicopter 269C-1, lost control of the helicopter while… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 31, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100960. 1.3 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 690 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40481802&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Damage Photo (item 2, .PDF, 602 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40481803&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Damage%20Photo-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.