Schweizer 269C accident near Norcross, Georgia, December 22, 1989
On December 22, 1989 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Schweizer 269C (helicopter), registered N75068, was substantially damaged in an accident near Norcross, Georgia (Beaver Ruin Heliport airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE STUDENT PILOT'S IMPROPER EXECUTION OF THE LANDING PROCEDURE RESULTING IN DYNAMIC ROLL-OVER OF THE HELICOPTER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 22, 1989 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Norcross, Georgia · Beaver Ruin Heliport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer 269C · all 269Cs on the register
- Registration
- N75068 · registry record · serial 1323
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS ON A SOLO FLIGHT PRACTICING LIFTOFF TO A HOVER AND LANDING FROM A HOVER. AS THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN, IT BEGAN A ROLL AND THE STUDENT COULD NOT MAINTAIN CONTROL. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A PRE-ACCIDENT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT A SKID HAD SCRAPED THE SOD AND INDUCED A DYNAMIC ROLL-OVER.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 372 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 232 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 858 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 21, 1989; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-D1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 11 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; not recorded at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 23°F (-5°C), dew point 5°F (-15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:47 pm from PDK, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 N75068 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.