Schweizer 269C N107SM
13 May 1997 · Laredo, Texas, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 13 May 1997 at about 17:50 local time, a Schweizer 269C registered N107SM was involved in an accident near Laredo, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 17:50
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Laredo, Texas, United States
- Coordinates
- 27.7500, -99.1309
- Aircraft
- Schweizer 269C
- Registration
- N107SM
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Other Work Use
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- FTW97LA190
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Probable cause
loss of engine power due to fuel contamination, and the pilot's failure to properly check the fuel system for evidence of water during the preflight inspection. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot reported that the helicopter was in cruise flight at approximately 150 feet AGL, conducting an airborne seismic survey, when without warning, the engine lost power. The pilot lowered the collective as he turned the helicopter into the prevailing 10 knot wind. During the flare for an autorotation landing, the rotor RPM decayed, and the helicopter touched down hard. The 1995 model helicopter had accumulated a total of 713 flight hours. A fuel sample was taken from the fuel filter sump, which was located between the fuel tank and the throttle body of the fuel injected engine. A substantial amount of water was found in the sample. FAA inspectors, accompanied by the operator of the helicopter, inspected the fuel storage tank that was being used to refuel the helicopter. Examination of the fuel filter in the trailer mounted tank revealed the presence of water and rust.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Schweizer 269 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Mar 1997 | Schweizer 269C | Cleveland, Ohio, United States | City of Cleveland | No injuries | - |
| 15 Oct 1997 | Schweizer 269C | Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 18 Jul 1997 | Schweizer 269C | Baltimore, Maryland, United States | Baltimore Police Department | Serious injuries | - |
| 12 Jan 1996 | Schweizer 269C | San Ygnacio, Texas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 4 Sep 1998 | Schweizer 269C | Decker, Indiana, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 10 Oct 1998 | Schweizer 269C | Oshkosh, Nebraska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 Jun 1997 | Aero Commander CALLAIR A-9B | El Indio, Texas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 25 Jun 1997 | Cessna 182Q | Sugar Land, Texas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 25 Jun 1997 | Piper PA-28RT-201 | Whitewright, Texas, United States | Centerline Aviation, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 30 Jun 1997 | Air Tractor AT-301 | Edna, Texas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 29 Jun 1997 | Cessna 152 | Gorman, Texas, United States | Spencer Jones | Minor injuries | - |
| 2 Jul 1997 | Cessna 152 | Fort Worth, Texas, United States | Bridgeport Flight Training | Minor injuries | - |