Schweizer 269D accident near Watkins Glen, New York, July 2, 1992
On July 2, 1992 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Schweizer 269D (helicopter), registered N330TT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Watkins Glen, New York. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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
FUEL STARVATION AS A RESULT OF IMPROPER RIGGING OF THE FUEL CONTROL UNIT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 2, 1992 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Watkins Glen, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer 269D · all 269Ds on the register
- Registration
- N330TT · no longer on the register · serial 51246T
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A CERTIFICATION TEST FLIGHT INVOLVING A SERIES OF DESCENTS AT LOW ROTOR RPM AND LOW AIRSPEEDS, THE ENGINE OF THE PROTOTYPE HELICOPTER LOST POWER. AN AUTOROTATION WAS INITIATED AND THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A TAIL LOW CONDITION, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE TAIL ROTOR AND MAIN ROTOR. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED AT A HIGH GROSS WEIGHT AND AFT CENTER OF GRAVITY TO MEET CERTIFICATION CRITERIA. THE RIGGING BETWEEN THE THROTTLE AND FUEL CONTROL UNIT WAS EXAMINED AND FOUND TO BE IMPROPERLY SET, CAUSING THE PREVENTION OF CONTINUOUS ENGINE POWER THROUGHOUT THE FLIGHT TEST PROFILE.
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: single-engine land; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,250 hours in all; 4,300 in this make and model; 6,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,189 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000; 95 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250/C2OW (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Schweitzer Aircraft CORP.
The flight
- Departed from: ELM Elmira NY at 3:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from ELM, 10 miles away
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.