Schweizer 269C accident near Grand Forks, North Dakota, May 5, 1993
On May 5, 1993 at about 4:45 pm local time, a Schweizer 269C (helicopter), registered N7504D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grand Forks, North Dakota (Sky Ranch airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF COLLECTIVE IN RECOVERING FROM A LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO GROUND RESONANCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 5, 1993 · about 4:45 pm local time · cases in 1993
- Place
- Grand Forks, North Dakota · Sky Ranch · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer 269C · all 269Cs on the register
- Registration
- N7504D · registry record · serial 7504D
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS PRACTICING LANDINGS WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE PILOT STATED HE LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE AND CENTERED THE CYCLIC IN ORDER TO STOP A GROUND RUN DURING THE LANDING. THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO VIBRATE AND THE PILOT BROUGHT THE CYCLIC BACK TO CENTER, ROLLED OFF THE THROTTLE AND VERIFIED THAT THE COLLECTIVE WAS LOWERED. THE HELICOPTER CONTINUED TO SHAKE WITH THE BLADES STRIKING THE GROUND. THE SADDLE FUEL TANK SEPARATED FROM THE HELICOPTER AND A FIRE WAS INITIATED. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO EVACUATE THE HELICOPTER PRIOR TO ITS BEING CONSUMED BY FIRE. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION OF HELICOPTER AND ITS COMPONENTS NOT DESTROYED IN THE FIRE FAILED TO REVEAL ANY FAILURE/MALFUNCTION WHICH WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN THE ACCIDENT.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 172 hours in all; 95 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 95 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,930 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 3, 1993; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-S1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: University of North Dakota
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 2,500 ft by 35 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: ovct at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from GFK, 4 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N7504D on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Schweizer 269 300 series helicopters 211 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Schweizer 1,186 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-S1A 390 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Accidents and incidents in North Dakota 581 since 1982 · 59 in the last ten years
- North Dakota 2,493 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CHI93LA159.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.