- Date
- June 23, 2020, 09:35 local (16:35 UTC)
- Place
- North Las Vegas, NV
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Unknown
- Aircraft
- N202CCSchweizer 269C
- Defining event
- Unknown: Unknown or undetermined
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 3
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20200623011299A
- Case key
- 101479
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
A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.
Findings · 1
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The flight instructor and pilot receiving instruction onboard the helicopter were returning to the airport following air work in the training area. At 4,000 ft mean sea level (msl), the instructor initiated a simulated engine failure, and the pilot receiving instruction entered an autorotation. Shortly thereafter, the engine lost total power and the flight instructor assumed control of the helicopter and landed on desert terrain, after which the helicopter slid forward between 20 and 40 ft. Examination of the helicopter revealed damage that was consistent with the helicopter rocking forward, then aft, and the tail striking the ground. The flight controls were continuous from the cockpit, and sufficient fuel was onboard. A visual examination and subsequent test run of the engine revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined based on the available information.
Factual narrative
On June 23, 2020, at 0935 Pacific daylight time, a Schweizer 269C, N202CC, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Las Vegas, Nevada. The flight instructor and pilot receiving instruction were not injured. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. According to the flight instructor, they were returning to the airport following air work in the training area. At 4,000 ft mean sea level (msl), the instructor initiated a simulated engine failure, and the pilot receiving instruction entered an autorotation. Shortly thereafter, the engine lost total power and the flight instructor assumed control of the helicopter and landed on desert terrain, after which the helicopter slid forward between 20 and 40 ft. They egressed the helicopter and noted that the tailboom had separated. Examination of the helicopter revealed that the damage was consistent with the helicopter rocking forward, then aft, and the tail striking the ground. The flight controls were continuous from the cockpit and there was sufficient fuel onboard. A visual examination and subsequent test run of the engine revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N202CC
- Reported as
- Schweizer 269C (Undesignat)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- S1421
- Built
- 1989
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360-D1A, 205 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- VGT · North Las Vegas, NV
- Destination
- VGT · North Las Vegas, NV
- Airport
- VGT · North Las Vegas
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- Pilot
- Age
- 38
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,250 total · 10 in this make and model
- Role
- Pilot-rated passenger
- Age
- 24
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Private, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 0 total · 0 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 91 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.86 inHg
- Observed at
- KVGT, 9 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 14, 2022, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 898 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.