# NTSB ERA25LA255: Schweizer 269C, N21385, Madisonville, KY, July 2, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: July 2, 2025, 18:25 local (23:25 UTC) - Place: Madisonville, KY · Airport ramp area - Coordinates: 37.353636, -87.395701 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.3536&lon=-87.3957&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Ground resonance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/232) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report November 14, 2025 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 200456 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA25LA255 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200456/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200456 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA255 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to take the appropriate corrective action for ground resonance, 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) - [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. - [Landing: Ground resonance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/232) (defining event); cases with it: [Schweizer 269C-1, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/232/sequence.md?model=8059504), [All aircraft, 21 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/232/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot reported that he hover taxied the helicopter to land on the ramp and executed a 180° pedal turn to face the center of the ramp. When the helicopter landed, he reduced the throttle to idle, and the helicopter began to shake. A flight instructor who was watching the landing from across the ramp communicated over the radio and via hand signals, telling the pilot to pick the helicopter up to a hover. The student pilot attempted to increase the throttle and increase collective to pick the helicopter back up to a hover, but the helicopter began to shake violently, and the student pilot reduced the collective but was unable to regain control. A review of a surveillance video provided by the operator revealed that the helicopter began to rock on its skids, rotated about 180°, and rolled over on its left side, which resulted in substantial damage to the main rotor blades, tail rotor blades, tail boom, and fuselage. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N21385](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N21385), registered now, S/N 0356, built 2009 (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-G1A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-hio-360-g1a) (registry code 41898, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 0356 - Year built: 2009 - Airframe hours: 5790.2 - Engines: Lycoming HIO-360-G1A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Madisonville Community College - Registered owner: US Aviation Training Solutions - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, June 9, 2025, 16 hours before - Departed: 2I0, Madisonville, KY - Airport: 2I0, Madisonville regional Airport, runway 05/23, 6,051 × 100 ft, concrete - Equipment: ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 24; injuries: minor; student; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: right; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 38 total, 38 in this make and model, 9 as pilot in command, 0 in the last 90 days, 0 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 290° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 7,000 ft broken - Temperature: 86 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 29.97 inHg - Observed at: OWB, 26 nm away - METAR: KOWB 022256Z 29005KT 10SM FEW050 BKN070 30/18 A2997 RMK AO2 SLP147 T03000183 ## 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 20250702010909A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250702010909A), Jul 2, 2025: Schweizer 269C-1, Madisonville, KY, Destroyed. During touchdown, the helicopter appeared to enter ground resonance conditions that worsened resulting in the helicopter rolling over, impacting the ground,… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 14, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200456. 47.0 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19470358&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%206120%201%20Form_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot's statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 93 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19497975&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20Student%20Pilot%27s%20Statement-Rel.pdf - Witness statement (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 93 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19496665&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20Witness%20Statement-Rel.pdf - Surveillance video (item 4, MP4, 43.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19498717&FileExtension=mp4&FileName=Surveillance%20Video-Rel.mp4 - Investigation photographs (item 5, PDF, 4 pages, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19498488&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array_Redacted-Rel.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.