Schweizer 269C N431MS

Summary

On 30 May 1990 at about 19:00 local time, a Schweizer 269C registered N431MS was involved in an accident near Tallulah, Louisiana, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

30 May 1990 at 19:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Tallulah, Louisiana, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Schweizer 269C

Registration

N431MS

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Aerial Observation

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Meridian → Shreveport

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW90FA111

Nobody was injured.

LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO A MULTIPLE BIRD STRIKE AND INCORRECT CONTROL INPUTS BY THE PILOT IN THE FLARE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE BIRD STRIKE INDUCED VIBRATIONS AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE CONTACT WITH THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

DURING CRUISE FLIGHT AT 800 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL THE PILOT INADVERTENTLY FLEW THE AIRCRAFT INTO A FLOCK OF BIRDS. FOLLOWING THE BIRD STRIKE THE AIRCRAFT DEVELOPED SEVERE VERTICAL VIBRATIONS AND THE PILOT EXECUTED A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. DURING THE DESCENT AND DURING THE FLARE PRIOR TO LANDING THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE FLEXED DOWN AND STRUCK THE TAIL BOOM RESULTING IN THE AIRCRAFT BECOMING UNCONTROLLABLE. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE GROUND IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE AND ROLLED ON ITS LEFT SIDE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.