- Date
- July 23, 2007, 12:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Ormond Beach, FL
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N171TASchweizer 269C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 31, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- Case key
- 66358
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 certified flight instructor's delayed remedial action, which resulted in an in-flight collision with trees.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The certified flight instructor (CFI) and a student pilot were practicing an engine failure, with a 180-degree turn. According to the CFI, the student pilot attempted to "stretch," to reach a field to the helicopter's left, even though a more obtainable field was located to the helicopter's right. The CFI called for a go-around at 150 feet above the ground; however, when the student pilot rolled on the throttle and pulled up on the collective, the rpm began to drop quickly, and the helicopter continued to descend. The CFI took the controls; however, the helicopter struck pine trees, and descended to the ground. Examination of the helicopter did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions.
Factual narrative
The certified flight instructor (CFI) and a student pilot were practicing an engine failure, with a 180-degree turn, in a Schweizer 269C helicopter. According to the CFI, the student pilot attempted to "stretch," to reach a field to the helicopter's left, even though a more obtainable field was located to the helicopter's right. The CFI called for a go-around at 150 feet above the ground; however, when the student pilot rolled on the throttle and pulled up on the collective, the rpm began to drop quickly, and the helicopter continued to descend. The CFI took the controls; however, the helicopter struck pine trees, and descended to the ground. Examination of the helicopter by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector did not reveal any preimpact malfunctions; nor did the CFI report any. The CFI reported 340 hours of total flight experience, which included 238 hours accumulated in helicopters.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N171TA
- Reported as
- Schweizer 269C
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0161
- Airframe hours
- 1,933
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360, 180 hp, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Tomlinson Aviation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 1, 2007
- Departed
- OMN · Ormond Beach, FL
- Airport
- OMN · Ormond Beach
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 24
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 1, 2007
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 340 total · 238 in this make and model · 251 as pilot in command · 130 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 19
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 20 total · 20 in this make and model · 20 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 12 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 9,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.06 inHg
- Observed at
- OMN, 5 nm away