Schweizer 269C accident near Grand Forks, North Dakota, September 7, 1994
On September 7, 1994 at about 4:24 pm local time, a Schweizer 269C (helicopter), registered N61245, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grand Forks, North Dakota. It was an instructional 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-in-command's (CFI) delayed recovery from a practice autorotation. A factor associated with the accident was the student pilot's improper autorotation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 7, 1994 · about 4:24 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Forks, North Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer 269C · all 269Cs on the register
- Registration
- N61245 · no longer on the register · serial S1654
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) REPORTED HE AND THE STUDENT PILOT WERE PRACTICING SIMULATED EMERGENCY AUTOROTATIONS TO A POWER RECOVERY. DURING THE ACCIDENT AUTOROTATION, THE CFI SAID HE ADJUSTED THE POWER TO 3100 RPM AND THEN TOLD THE STUDENT TO RECOVER. THE CFI NOTICED THAT THE HELICOPTER'S DESCENT HAD NOT BEEN ARRESTED, AND HE JOINED THE STUDENT ON THE CONTROLS. THE CFI WAS ATTEMPTING TO AUTOROTATE WHEN THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD. POSTACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE HELICOPTER AND ITS ENGINE DISCOVERED NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT MECHANICAL ANOMALIES.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,400 hours in all; 310 in this make and model; 148 in the last 90 days; 63 in the last 30 days; 2,250 as pilot in command; 670 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 656 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 14, 1994; 73 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-DIA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GFK NE at 2:40 pm
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:51 am from GFK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.