Schweizer 269C N233JA

Summary

On 26 September 2009 at about 16:55 local time, a Schweizer 269C registered N233JA, operated by Jay Leon Atkins, was involved in an accident near Quarryville, Pennsylvania, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

26 September 2009 at 16:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Quarryville, Pennsylvania, United States

Coordinates

39.8575, -76.2056

Aircraft

Schweizer 269C

Registration

N233JA

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Jay Leon Atkins

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Air Drop

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Darlington → Quarryville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA09CA542

1 person had minor injuries.

An untrained bystander's attempt to marshal the helicopter, which resulted in the helicopter's inadvertent encounter with an object.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot had agreed to use his helicopter to participate in a publicity event at a golf course. The event consisted of landing in a designated area to pick up a load of golf balls, then dropping the golf balls from the hovering helicopter. Several days before the event, the pilot visited the golf course to survey the landing area. He was not advised to expect a marshaler. On the day of the accident, the helicopter approached the golf course, and entered a hover above the putting green that the pilot planned to land on. Several witnesses reported that a person on the ground began providing hand signals to direct the pilot. In response to the signals, the pilot began to back up the helicopter, and one of the landing skids contacted a wooden statue. The pilot was unable to regain control of the helicopter before it rolled onto its left side and struck the ground. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the cabin area, skids and tail boom, and the tail rotor was separated. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the helicopter prior to the accident. Subsequent to the accident, it was determined that the marshaler was self-appointed, and that he did not have any formal training in marshaling aircraft. The nearest weather reporting station, located approximately 17 nautical miles north of the accident site, reported winds of 9 knots about the time of the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.