# NTSB NYC07LA077: Schweizer 269C, N2074K, Plymouth, MA, March 12, 2007 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 12, 2007, 08:45 local (12:45 UTC) - Place: Plymouth, MA - Coordinates: 41.908889, -70.728614 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.9089&lon=-70.7286&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 31, 2008 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 65410 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC07LA077 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/65410/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC07LA077 ## Probable cause The student pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter during a hover, and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, hover - aircraft control - not maintained, dual student (cause) - remedial action - delayed, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis During an instructional flight and while at a hover, the rotorcraft-rated private pilot initiated a clearing pedal turn to the right. After about a quarter turn, the helicopter "violently yawed to the right, and crashed," before the flight instructor could react. Examination of the helicopter revealed no mechanical anomalies. In addition, the flight instructor was involved in a similar accident with the same helicopter, but a different student, a month earlier. ## Factual narrative On March 12, 2007, at 0845 eastern daylight time, N2074K, a Schweizer 269C, was substantially damaged when it impacted the ground while hovering at the Plymouth Municipal Airport (PYM), Plymouth, Massachusetts. The certificated flight instructor and certificated private pilot were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local instructional flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. According to the flight instructor, while at a hover, the private pilot initiated a clearing pedal turn to the right. After about a quarter turn, the helicopter "violently yawed to the right, and crashed." The flight instructor reported that the helicopter impacted the ground before he could react. According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the helicopter's left skid impacted the ground during a hover, and then the helicopter rolled onto its left side. Examination of the helicopter by a representative from Schweizer and the FAA revealed no mechanical deficiencies. Substantial damage was noted to the fuselage and tail boom. The FAA inspector additionally reported that the flight instructor was involved in an unreported accident on February 1, 2007, in the same helicopter. According to the inspector, the flight instructor was practicing hovering with a different student, when the helicopter yawed to the left and impacted the ground. The flight instructor reported 310 hours of total flight experience, all of which were in rotorcraft. The private pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single engine land and rotorcraft-helicopter. He reported 940 hours of total flight experience, 163 of which were in rotorcraft. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2074K](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2074K-2014-07-15), registration cancelled 2014-07-15, S/N 0136 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Schweizer 269C - Registry model: [Schweizer 269C-1](https://openairdocs.org/model/schweizer-269c-1) (registry code 8059504) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming HO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ho-360-series) (registry code 41513, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 0136 - Airframe hours: 1139 - Engines: Textron Lycoming HO-360 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: ExecJet Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, February 1, 2007 - Departed: PYM, Plymouth, MA - Destination: PMY - Airport: PYM, Plymouth Municipal Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 26; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 310 total, 240 in this make and model, 256 as pilot in command, 110 in the last 90 days, 40 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours - Pilot; age 54; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review January 1, 2007; seat: right; flight hours: 940 total, 38 in this make and model, 940 as pilot in command, 16 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 43 °F, dew point 25 °F - Altimeter: 30.27 inHg - Observed at: PYM ## 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 20070312003089A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070312003089A), Mar 12, 2007: Hughes 269C1, Plymouth, MA, Substantial damage. (-23) At approximately 0820 EDT on 03/12/07 the pilot [privacy data omitted] and [privacy data omitted] were performing a rotating pedal turn to the right at… ## Other investigations on N2074K (1) 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. - [NTSB NYC07CA093](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC07CA093), Feb 1, 2007: Schweizer 269C (N2074K), Plymouth, MA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter during landing, and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action. 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.