Schweizer 300C accident near Titusville, Florida, July 12, 2006
On July 12, 2006 at about 9:50 pm local time, a Schweizer 300C (helicopter), registered N1831A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Titusville, Florida. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the certificated flight instructor (CFI) to maintain control of the helicopter, which resulted in an in-flight collision with terrain. A factor associated with the accident was the dual student's improper use of the cyclic trim.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 12, 2006 · about 9:50 pm local time
- Place
- Titusville, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer 300C
- Registration
- N1831A · no longer on the register · serial 0228
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The first pilot, a certificated helicopter flight instructor, was providing primary helicopter flight instruction to the second pilot, a certificated commercial airplane pilot. The first pilot said that while in a stable 3-foot hover above ground, he asked the second pilot to relinquish control of the helicopter so he could demonstrate a maneuver. During the transfer of control, the cyclic slipped from the first pilot's hand, and the cyclic traveled to a full forward position. The helicopter pitched nose down, and the main rotor blades struck the ground. The helicopter subsequently rolled to the right, and sustained substantial damage to the main rotor drive system, main rotor blades, and fuselage. A postaccident inspection of the helicopter revealed that the second pilot had inadvertently selected the cyclic trim system to the full forward position. The operator reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the helicopter.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter
- Flight time: 268 hours in all; 201 in this make and model; 93 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 204 as pilot in command; 109 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 372 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 340 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 412 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 1, 2006; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-G1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TIX Titusville FL at 10:30 pm
- Destination: TIX Titusville FL
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N1831A the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.