Schweizer 269C accident near Atlanta, Georgia, October 14, 1985
On October 14, 1985 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Schweizer 269C (helicopter), registered N7503Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Atlanta, Georgia. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 14, 1985 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Atlanta, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer 269C · all 269Cs on the register
- Registration
- N7503Q · registry record · serial S1185
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A PRACTICE AUTOROTATION THE ACFT EXPERIENCED A HARD LDG WHEN THE PLT FAILED TO ARREST THE SINK RATE PRIOR TO CONTACTING THE GROUND.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,473 hours in all; 1,903 in this make and model; 199 in the last 90 days; 2,173 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 546 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 4, 1985; 47 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-D1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PDK Atlanta GA at 8:55 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.