Schweizer 269C accident near Englewood, Colorado, June 13, 2004
On June 13, 2004 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Schweizer 269C (helicopter), registered N2062N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Englewood, Colorado (Centennial airport). 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 settling with power situation encountered by the pilot. Contributing to the accident was the high density altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 13, 2004 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Englewood, Colorado · Centennial · 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
- N2062N · registry record · serial S1830
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he had been cleared for operations on runway 17R. The pilot reported that after crossing the threshold at 40 knots and 40 feet agl, he "felt like [he] was in a high rate of descent and the [helicopter] began to sink." The pilot suspected he was in a "settling with power" situation and decreased the collective and pushed the cyclic forward. The helicopter continued to sink, impacting the runway hard and sliding for approximately 6 feet, substantially damaging the helicopter. Density altitude was calculated at 8,622 feet. The out of ground effect hover ceiling was calculated at approximately 5,600 feet and the in ground effect hover ceiling was calculated between 6,200 and 7,600 feet.
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: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 139 hours in all; 92 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 80 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 23, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,991 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 12, 2004; 62 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-D1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BJC Denver CO at 8:00 pm
- Destination: BJC Denver CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17R, 10,002 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 11 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from APA, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.