Schweizer 269C-1 accident near San Antonio, Texas, October 16, 2002
On October 16, 2002 at about 1:10 am local time, a Schweizer 269C-1 (helicopter), registered N61463, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Antonio, Texas. It was an instructional 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 flight instructor's failure to refuel at an available airport when a low fuel status was identified. Factors were the flight instructor's inadequate preflight flight planning, which included improper fuel consumption calculations, the night light conditions, and the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 16, 2002 · about 1:10 am local time
- Place
- San Antonio, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer 269C-1 · all 269C-1s on the register
- Registration
- N61463 · no longer on the register · serial 0003
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The purpose of the flight was to provide night VFR cross-country navigation instruction to the student. The certified flight instructor (CFI) and student discussed the low fuel status while over flying one of the en route airports; however, elected to not refuel because neither pilot had a credit card. Subsequently, the helicopter's amber colored low fuel warning light illuminated, and a few minutes later the engine lost total power. An autorotation was performed, during which the helicopter impacted trees and landed hard. The CFI stated that a flight navigation log sheet was not used for the flight; however, during his preflight planning he estimated that the fuel burn rate was 10 gallons per hour at a cruise airspeed of 85 knots, and that the total fight time was going to be 90 minutes. According to an FAA inspector the normal plan cruise airspeed for this helicopter is 70 knots.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 372 hours in all; 31 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 240 as pilot in command; 28 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 5, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 30 hours in all; 30 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,238 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HO-2360-C1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SSF San Antonio TX at 11:45 pm
- Destination: SSF San Antonio TX
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 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.