Schweizer 269C N21385

Summary

On 2 July 2025 at about 23:25 local time, a Schweizer 269C registered N21385, operated by Madisonville Community College, was involved in an accident near Madisonville, Kentucky, 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

2 July 2025 at 23:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Madisonville, Kentucky, United States

Nearest airport

Madisonville regional Airport (2I0)

Coordinates

37.3536, -87.3957

Aircraft

Schweizer 269C

Registration

N21385

Category

Helicopter

Year built

2009

Engines

1

Operator

Madisonville Community College

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Madisonville → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA25LA255

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot’s failure to take the appropriate corrective action for ground resonance, which resulted in a loss of helicopter control.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The student pilot reported that he hover taxied the helicopter to land on the ramp and executed a 180° pedal turn to face the center of the ramp. When the helicopter landed, he reduced the throttle to idle, and the helicopter began to shake. A flight instructor who was watching the landing from across the ramp communicated over the radio and via hand signals, telling the pilot to pick the helicopter up to a hover. The student pilot attempted to increase the throttle and increase collective to pick the helicopter back up to a hover, but the helicopter began to shake violently, and the student pilot reduced the collective but was unable to regain control. A review of a surveillance video provided by the operator revealed that the helicopter began to rock on its skids, rotated about 180°, and rolled over on its left side, which resulted in substantial damage to the main rotor blades, tail rotor blades, tail boom, and fuselage. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.