Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation 269C accident near Staples, Texas, March 5, 2012
On March 5, 2012 at about 5:36 pm local time, a Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation 269C (helicopter), registered N1099N, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Staples, Texas. It was a personal 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 pilot's failure to attain the proper descent rate during autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident were the inflight vibrations and loss of torque pedal response for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 5, 2012 · about 5:36 pm local time
- Place
- Staples, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation 269C
- Registration
- N1099N · no longer on the register · serial 700939
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
About 15 minutes into a cross-country flight, the pilot heard a "pop" that sounded "like metal breaking." He felt a violent vibration and loss of torque pedal response. The pilot reported that there was no change in rpm, and he performed a precautionary autorotation and landing due to the vibration. During the landing, the helicopter impacted the ground hard and the main rotor blades contacted the tailboom. On-scene and subsequent laboratory examination revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The reason for the pop and subsequent vibration could not be determined.
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
What happened, in order
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Hard landing during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent rate › Not attained/maintained
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor › Tail rotor drive system › (general) › Malfunction
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 143 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 94 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,057 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 24, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Xotic Aviation LLC.
The flight
- Departed from: XS90 Fentress TX at 5:21 pm
- Destination: 1T8 San Antonio TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 12 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.36 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from HYI, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.