# NTSB WPR15LA245: Schweizer 269C, N17YS, Las Vegas, NV, August 18, 2015

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: August 18, 2015, 09:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place: Las Vegas, NV
- Coordinates: 36.285831, -115.338333 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.2858&lon=-115.3383&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Emergency descent](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/600) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Autorotation: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report March 18, 2019
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 91817
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR15LA245
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/91817/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91817
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR15LA245

## Probable cause

A total loss of engine power during a practice autorotation for reasons that could not be determined.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Schweizer 269C, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=8059502), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Autorotation: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Schweizer 269C, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=8059502), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md)
- [Autorotation: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Schweizer 269C, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=8059502), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md)
- [Autorotation: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [Schweizer 269C, 17 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=8059502), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The flight instructor reported that, during the instructional flight in the helicopter, he was demonstrating entry procedures for an autorotation with the student pilot following along on the flight controls. The instructor smoothly lowered the collective, applied right pedal, and pulled aft on the cyclic to enter the autorotation. Immediately after entering the maneuver, he heard a change in engine noise and saw that the engine rpm gauge indicated zero. The instructor attempted to restart the engine by pressing the start button several times; however, the starter did not engage. The instructor continued the autorotative descent to the ground and landed hard. A postaccident engine examination revealed that the battery's positive lead was separated from the battery terminal, and the lead exhibited corrosion. When the positive lead was reattached to the battery, and the engine started and operated normally. The reason for the loss of engine power during the autorotation could not be determined.

## Factual narrative

On August 18, 2015, about 0900 mountain daylight time, a Schweizer 269C helicopter, N17YS, experienced a complete loss of engine power and subsequent hard landing about 10 miles northwest of the North Las Vegas Airport (VGT), Las Vegas, Nevada. The certified flight instructor was not injured, and the pilot undergoing instruction sustained minor injuries. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tailboom. The helicopter was privately owned and operated by Airworks Aviation Academy under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as an instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The flight originated from VGT at 0845. The flight instructor reported that after the student leveled the helicopter off at 4,500 ft mean sea level, he was going to demonstrate, with the student following along on the controls, entry procedures for an autorotation maneuver. The flight instructor smoothly lowered the collective, input right pedal, and pulled back on the cyclic to enter the autorotation. Immediately after entering the maneuver, he heard a change in engine noise and he observed that the engine RPM gauge was zero. The flight instructor attempted several times to restart the engine by pressing the start button, however every time the start button was pressed, there was no indication that the starter engaged. The flight instructor continued the descent to the ground. The helicopter landed hard; subsequently, the main rotor blades severed the tailboom. A postaccident engine examination conducted by a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector revealed that the positive lead was found separated from the battery terminal, and that the lead exhibited corrosion. The positive lead was attached to the battery, and the engine started and operated normally.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N17YS](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N17YS), registered now, S/N S1619, built 1992 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SCHWEIZER 269C
- Registry model: [Schweizer 269C](https://openairdocs.org/model/schweizer-269c) (registry code 8059502) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming HIO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-hio-360-series) (registry code 41524, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Helicopter
- Serial number: S1619
- Year built: 1992
- Airframe hours: 2805
- Engines: Lycoming HIO-360 SERIE 190 hp reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, March 20, 2015, 76 hours before
- Departed: VGT, Las Vegas, NV
- Destination: VGT, Las Vegas, NV

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Flight instructor; age 48; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review March 17, 2015; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 443 total, 73 in this make and model, 367 as pilot in command, 125 in the last 90 days, 30 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours
- Student pilot; injuries: minor; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 366 total, 4 in this make and model, 236 as pilot in command, 9 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter: 29.85 inHg
- Observed at: VGT, 10 nm away

## 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 20150818012719A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150818012719A), Aug 18, 2015: Schweizer 269C, North Las Vegas, NV, Substantial damage. On 8/18/2015, flight instructor and his student were practicing an autorotation at 4700 ft. when the engine quit and wouldn't restart. Helicopter continued…

## Other investigations on N17YS (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 WPR09LA213](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09LA213), Apr 22, 2009: Schweizer 269C (N17YS), Las Vegas, NV, substantial damage. Probable cause: Loss of engine power during approach for undetermined reasons.

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 21, 2018, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91817. 2.3 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 200 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40464349&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF
- Postaccident Engine Run Observations - Courtesy of the Federal Aviation Administration (item 2, .PDF, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40464350&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Postaccident%20Engine%20Run%20Observations%20-%20Courtesy%20of%20the%20Federal%20Aviation%20Administration-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.

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