Schweizer 269C-1 N61415
27 April 2004 · Van Nuys, California, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 27 April 2004 at about 21:40 local time, a Schweizer 269C-1 registered N61415, operated by Group 3 Aviation, was involved in an accident near Van Nuys, California, 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 21:40
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Van Nuys, California, United States
- Nearest airport
- Van Nuys (VNY)
- Coordinates
- 34.2058, -118.4872
- Aircraft
- Schweizer 269C-1
- Registration
- N61415
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Group 3 Aviation
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Instructional
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Van Nuys → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- LAX04LA197
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Probable cause
the failure of maintenance personnel to ensure the proper charge of the aft landing gear dampers in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The helicopter encountered ground resonance during the initial run-up prior to takeoff. During the run-up, the magneto checks produced a rough running engine. At 2,000 rpm the certified flight instructor (CFI) attempted to correct the roughness by leaning the mixture. The helicopter then began shaking from side-to-side, indicating ground resonance. Due to the low rpm, the CFI elected to close the throttle rather than lift the helicopter from the ground. The ground resonance increased and neither the pilot-undergoing-instruction nor the CFI could hold onto the controls. The CFI then pulled the mixture control and the engine stopped. The skid damper assemblies were examined and tested for charge. The rear dampers had a lower charge than that specified in the maintenance manual for the helicopter. The forward dampers were within limits. The Schweizer 269 maintenance instructions call for the dampers to be checked and correctly pressurized at each 100-hour inspection. The last 100-hour inspection was 1 month 61 hours prior to the accident.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Schweizer 269 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Dec 2004 | Schweizer 269C | Ontario, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 9 Aug 2004 | Schweizer 269C-1 | Denton, Texas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 16 Oct 2004 | Schweizer 269C | Diamond Head, Mississippi, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 19 Feb 2004 | Schweizer 269D | San Antonio, Texas, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 25 Sep 2004 | Schweizer 269C-1 | Burbank, California, United States | Group 3 Aviation | No injuries | - |
| 5 Jun 2004 | Schweizer 269C-1 | Brentwood, California, United States | Helicopter Adventures Inc. | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Mar 2004 | Globe GC-1B | Placerville, California, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 14 May 2004 | Downer BELLANCA 14-19-2 | Lancaster, California, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 15 May 2004 | Beechcraft A60 | Gualala, California, United States | Richard L. Probert | No injuries | - |
| 21 Mar 2004 | Alon A2 | Cameron Park, California, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 2 Sep 2004 | Cessna 172S | Willits, California, United States | Edward A. Warburton | Minor injuries | - |
| 20 Jan 2004 | Cessna 172P | Granada Hills, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |