# NTSB FTW01LA053: Schweizer 269C, N99DK, Damon, TX, January 27, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 27, 2001, 16:00 local (22:00 UTC) - Place: Damon, TX - Coordinates: 29.269731, -95.719917 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.2697&lon=-95.7199&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 27, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 51407 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW01LA053 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/51407/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW01LA053 ## Probable cause the pilot's failure to maintain helicopter control during takeoff to a hover, which resulted in a dynamic rollover. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Roll over, takeoff - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - dynamic rollover - inadvertent, pilot in command ## Analysis The pilot landed the helicopter off airport due to the observer becoming sick. After the observer recovered, the pilot attempted to takeoff. With the helicopter headed into the wind, he increased collective. The left skid lifted first and he applied the correction he "thought was appropriate: more left stick/cyclic." The pilot then felt the skid continue to rise, and he had the feeling that the right skid was "hooked" by the ground. He applied "full left stick/cyclic deflection and lowered collective." The pilot stated that "at that time I believe a wind shift with a gust blew under my rotor and pushed me over." The main rotor blades hit the ground, and the helicopter came to rest on its right side. ## Factual narrative On January 27, 2001, at 1600 central standard time, a Schweizer 269C helicopter, N99DK, was substantially damaged when it rolled over during takeoff near Damon, Texas. The helicopter was registered to Cape Atlantic Landowners Association, Inc., of New Smyrna Beach, Florida, and operated by Barr Air Patrol of Houston, Texas. The commercial pilot and observer were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 aerial observation flight. The flight originated from the Houston Airpark Airport, Pearland, Texas, about 1500, for a power line patrol. The pilot reported that he landed the helicopter off airport due to the observer becoming sick. After the observer recovered, he attempted to takeoff. With the helicopter headed into the wind, he increased collective. The left skid lifted first and he applied the correction he "thought was appropriate: more left stick/cyclic." The pilot further reported that he then felt the skid continue to rise, and he had the feeling that the right skid was "hooked" by the ground. He applied "full left stick/cyclic deflection and lowered collective." The pilot stated that "at that time I believe a wind shift with a gust blew under my rotor and pushed me over." The main rotor blades hit the ground, and the helicopter came to rest on its right side. The operator reported that the main rotor transmission, main rotor blades, tail boom, tail rotor, and the right side of the fuselage were damaged. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N99DK](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N99DK-2017-02-17), registration cancelled 2017-02-17, S/N S1783 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Schweizer 269C - Registry model: [Schweizer 269C](https://openairdocs.org/model/schweizer-269c) (registry code 8059502) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: S1783 - Airframe hours: 11 - Engines: Lycoming HIO-360-D1A 190 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Aerial observation, Part 91 - Registered owner: United Helicopters, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, January 9, 2001, 11 hours before - Departed: 21T, Pearland, TX ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 25; injuries: none; commercial; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review February 14, 2000; seat: left; flight hours: 2,330 total, 1,800 in this make and model, 2,180 as pilot in command, 300 in the last 90 days, 100 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours - Other flight crew; injuries: none; seat: right ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 130° at 14 knots, gusting 19 - Visibility: 6 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Altimeter: 30.05 inHg ## 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 20010127029699A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010127029699A), Jan 27, 2001: Hughes 269C, Damon, TX, Substantial damage. (.4) On January 27, 2001, at 1600 central standard time, a Schweizer 269C helicopter, N99DK, was substantially damaged when it rolled over during takeoff near… 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.