Schweizer 269D incident near Houston, Texas, September 30, 2007
On September 30, 2007 at about 10:05 pm local time, a Schweizer 269D (helicopter), registered N8374F, suffered minor damage in an incident near Houston, Texas (William P Hobby airport). It was a public-use 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 fatigue failure during hover of the drive adapter between the engine and lower pulley drive shaft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 30, 2007 · about 10:05 pm local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · William P Hobby · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer 269D · all 269Ds on the register
- Registration
- N8374F · no longer on the register · serial 0032A
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After a hover taxi and while approximately 5 feet above ground level, the pilot stopped the helicopter's forward movement, and was turning into the wind when he felt a "hard thump." The helicopter descended, impacted the ground, and yawed 20-30 degrees to the left before coming to rest in an upright position. The helicopter sustained minor damage. An examination of the helicopter by maintenance personnel revealed that the forward drive adapter of the engine to lower pulley drive shaft had fractured and separated from the aft coupling. This fracture separated the engine from the power train, resulting in loss of power to the main rotors. An examination of the drive adapter revealed that it had failed due to fatigue.
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: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 258 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 203 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Crew member
- Last flight review: November 1, 2006
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,712 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls-Royce 250-C20W (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HOU Houston TX at 10:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 130° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; a few clouds
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
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.