Schweizer 269C accident near White Plains, New York, December 28, 2013
On December 28, 2013 at about 1:30 pm local time, a 2001 Schweizer 269C (helicopter), registered N2056J, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near White Plains, New York (Westchester County airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's failure to maintain airspeed during a practice autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing and subsequent loss of control
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 28, 2013 · about 1:30 pm local time · cases in 2013
- Place
- White Plains, New York · Westchester County · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer 269C, built 2001 · all 269Cs on the register
- Registration
- N2056J · no longer on the register · serial S1820
- 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) was demonstrating a 180-degree autorotation to a student pilot while performing an instructional flight. The CFI reported entering the autorotation when, at about 100 feet agl, the indicated airspeed suddenly dropped to about 40 knots. He pushed the cyclic forward in an attempt to regain airspeed and flared at about 50 feet agl in an attempt to slow down the helicopter's rate of descent. The helicopter landed on the edge of the runway on the back of the skids, bounced back into the air, and began an accelerated yaw to the right. According to the CFI, he lowered the collective and reduced throttle while the helicopter spun four or five times. The helicopter subsequently impacted the ground, and came to rest on its left side. A postaccident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to the cabin and the tail boom. The CFI reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Simulated/training event during landing
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring equip/instruments › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Instructor/check pilot
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 446 hours in all; 257 in this make and model; 88 in the last 90 days; 24.7 in the last 30 days; 367.7 as pilot in command; 209.1 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 19, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 96.8 hours in all; 96.8 in this make and model; 21.3 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 9.6 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,504 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 6, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-D1A (piston); 4,060 hours total
- Operator: Wings Air LLC
The flight
- Departed from: HPN White Plains NY at 12:30 pm
- Destination: HPN White Plains NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 4,451 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 12:56 pm from HPN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on January 21, 2014. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record (FAA) | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum for Record (Weather) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photograph #1: Aft View of Helicopter (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Photograph #2: Front View of Helicopter (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Photograph #3: View of Tailboom (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N2056J the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N2056J: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Schweizer 269 300 series helicopters 212 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Schweizer 1,187 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-D1A 41 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Westchester County · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in New York 1,964 since 1982 · 249 in the last ten years
- New York 6,663 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N2056J 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ERA14CA080.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.