Schweizer 269C accident near Baldwin, Florida, August 4, 2010
On August 4, 2010 at about 3:15 pm local time, a Schweizer 269C (helicopter), registered N6143K, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (hover) near Baldwin, Florida. It was an aerial observation flight under public-use (government) rules. 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
A loss of tail rotor effectiveness during a hover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 4, 2010 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Baldwin, Florida · 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
- N6143K · no longer on the register · serial S1750
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot of the helicopter, during a mosquito breeding inspection flight he entered a hover about 2 feet above a field of tall vegetation and "within 10-15 seconds the nose of the aircraft began to yaw to the right." The pilot corrected with full left anti-torque pedal and attempted to "enter into translational lift" as the helicopter continued to rotate. The right skid contacted the ground and the helicopter rolled onto its side, sustaining substantial damage to the main rotor blades, fuselage, and skids. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions of the helicopter prior to the accident. He recommended that, "inspection during a cooler part of the day or with presence of wind, or inspecting while moving forward could have prevented the accident." About the time of the accident an airport weather station about 6 miles southeast of the accident site reported variable winds at 5 knots and a temperature of 31 degrees Celsius.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of tail rotor effectiveness during maneuvering (hover) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering (hover)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Yaw control › Capability exceeded
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Variable wind › Effect on equipment
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › High temperature › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,099 hours in all; 875 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 3,743 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 23, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,513 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2009; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: City Of Jacksonville Mosquito Control
The flight
- Departed from: FA41 Jacksonville FL at 1:10 pm
- Destination: Baldwin FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,100 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from VQQ, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N6143K the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.