Schweizer 269C N3623U

Summary

On 28 June 2003 at about 23:15 local time, a Schweizer 269C registered N3623U was involved in an accident near Bountiful, Utah, United States. One person was 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.

Date

28 June 2003 at 23:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Bountiful, Utah, United States

Nearest airport

Bountiful-Skypark (BTF)

Coordinates

40.8681, -111.9272

Aircraft

Schweizer 269C

Registration

N3623U

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Bountiful → Bountiful

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN03LA115

Nobody was injured.

the pilot not maintaining aircraft control during the aerial taxi. Factors contributing to the accident were the oscillating cyclic, the pilot's diverted attention, and the gusting crosswind.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was hover taxiing from the west side of the airport to his hangar on the east side. He said he had lifted the helicopter "up to about a three-foot hover," when the cyclic started to rotate "in about a six to eight inch circle" in his hand. The pilot reported he heard a "low pitch or frequency oscillation." The pilot said, "The helicopter started a strong uncontrollable roll to the left. I tried to push the cyclic to the right but found no change in stopping the roll or direction of movement." The pilot said that he knew there were airplanes and people in the direction the helicopter was heading. The pilot said he decided to put the helicopter down on its side to stop any further movement. A witness saw the helicopter lift off the ramp to approximately 3 to 5 feet. The tail rotor then struck the ramp and the helicopter impacted on its left side. An examination of the helicopter showed substantial damage to the main rotor blades, tail rotor, skids, and cockpit area. An examination of the helicopter's systems revealed no anomalies. The wind conditions in the area, approximately 30 minutes prior to the accident were 350 degrees at 11 knots with gusts to 16 knots. According to the mechanic who had performed the previous annual inspection on the helicopter, when in hover, the helicopter would experience a small amount of stick swirl. The mechanic said that "if you work it, it [the swirl] will go away."

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.