Schweizer 269C accident near Montrose, Colorado, October 3, 2024
On October 3, 2024, a 1997 Schweizer 269C (helicopter), registered N656RB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Montrose, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power during a demonstrated autorotation due to an improperly adjusted air-fuel mixture or idle setting. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to perform the required idle check during previous flights in higher elevation areas.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 3, 2024
- Place
- Montrose, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer 269C, built 1997 · all 269Cs on the register
- Registration
- N656RB · registry record · serial S1744
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that during an autorotation demonstration, the helicopter exhibited a complete loss of engine power. The pilot had set up the demonstration about 1,500 ft above ground level and about 60 knots indicated airspeed with hard packed gravel chosen for the touchdown point. The pilot stated that the engine rpm went to zero as soon as he rolled off the throttle to start the autorotation. He attempted to restart the engine with no success and conducted an autorotation to the predetermined touchdown area. During the ground run, the left skid collapsed and the helicopter rolled onto its left side, which resulted in substantial damage to the main rotor system, tail boom, and tail rotor system. An examination of the engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The engine was started multiple times and ran through various rpm settings. Both fuselage fuel tanks were intact and contained fuel consistent with 100LL Avgas. Discussions with the pilot revealed that he had recently purchased the helicopter and was now operating it in high elevation areas. Review of the rotorcraft flight manual revealed a required check of the idle mixture, idle speed, and fuel boost pump at the end of the last flight of each day. When interviewed, the pilot stated that he had never performed this check, did not witness the owner perform the check, and was not taught to perform the check during his initial flight training in the make and model helicopter 12 years earlier. According to the airframe manufacturer, failure to perform the idle check can allow an improperly adjusted idle speed, throttle linkage, or air-fuel mixture setting to go undetected. Under those conditions, rolling the throttle to idle or a rapid power reduction—such as during a simulated autorotation—can result in the engine rpm decaying below sustainable idle limits, leading to a total loss of engine power. Based on available evidence, it is likely that the air-fuel mixture or idle setting had not been adjusted for flight operations in the high elevation area and went undetected due to the pilot’s failure to perform the required post flight check.
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
- Autorotation Loss of engine power (total) defining event
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Powerplant parameters › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,044 hours in all; 62 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 3,984 as pilot in command; 755 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 8, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,932 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 22, 2024
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-D1A (piston); 2,946 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MTJ Montrose CO
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.08 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from KMTJ, 2 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KMTJ 030053Z AUTO 24003KT 10SM CLR 23/00 A3008 RMK AO2 SLP127 T02280000
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN25LA003.