Schweizer 269C-1 N21086

Summary

On 15 January 2011 at about 22:05 local time, a Schweizer 269C-1 registered N21086, operated by Bristow Academy Inc, was involved in an accident near Stuart, Florida, 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

15 January 2011 at 22:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Stuart, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Witham Field Airport (SUA)

Coordinates

27.1817, -80.2211

Aircraft

Schweizer 269C-1

Registration

N21086

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Bristow Academy Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Tamiami → Stuart

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA11LA116

Nobody was injured.

The student pilot's inadvertent activation of the collective control, which allowed the helicopter to become airborne and impact the ramp.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot completed a cross-country instructional flight with his flight instructor. After landing on the ramp, the flight instructor exited the cockpit and set the collective friction. The student pilot then set the cyclic friction. The flight instructor transferred aircraft control to the student pilot and asked him to remain in the cockpit while the engine cooled down. As the flight instructor was leaving the immediate area, he observed the helicopter become airborne and enter a spin. The helicopter then impacted the ramp and came to rest on its right side. A postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of pre-existing mechanical failure or malfunction. The cyclic and collective friction adjustments operated normally after the accident. Although the pilot stated that he did not initiate the event, the evidence suggests that the helicopter became airborne because of manipulation of the flight controls by the pilot.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.