Schweizer 269C accident near Bountiful, Utah, June 28, 2003
On June 28, 2003 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Schweizer 269C (helicopter), registered N3623U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bountiful, Utah (Bountiful-Skypark airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot not maintaining aircraft control during the aerial taxi. Factors contributing to the accident were the oscillating cyclic, the pilot's diverted attention, and the gusting crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 28, 2003 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Bountiful, Utah · Bountiful-Skypark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer 269C · all 269Cs on the register
- Registration
- N3623U · no longer on the register · serial 1568
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was hover taxiing from the west side of the airport to his hangar on the east side. He said he had lifted the helicopter "up to about a three-foot hover," when the cyclic started to rotate "in about a six to eight inch circle" in his hand. The pilot reported he heard a "low pitch or frequency oscillation." The pilot said, "The helicopter started a strong uncontrollable roll to the left. I tried to push the cyclic to the right but found no change in stopping the roll or direction of movement." The pilot said that he knew there were airplanes and people in the direction the helicopter was heading. The pilot said he decided to put the helicopter down on its side to stop any further movement. A witness saw the helicopter lift off the ramp to approximately 3 to 5 feet. The tail rotor then struck the ramp and the helicopter impacted on its left side. An examination of the helicopter showed substantial damage to the main rotor blades, tail rotor, skids, and cockpit area. An examination of the helicopter's systems revealed no anomalies. The wind conditions in the area, approximately 30 minutes prior to the accident were 350 degrees at 11 knots with gusts to 16 knots. According to the mechanic who had performed the previous annual inspection on the helicopter, when in hover, the helicopter would experience a small amount of stick swirl. The mechanic said that "if you work it, it [the swirl] will go away."
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,361 hours in all; 280 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 1,192 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 7, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,667.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2003; 15.5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-D1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BTF Bountiful UT at 10:15 pm
- Destination: BTF Bountiful UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 4,700 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 11 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 pm from SLC, 5 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.
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.