Schweizer 269C-1 accident near Denton, Texas, August 9, 2004
On August 9, 2004 at about 9:40 pm local time, a Schweizer 269C-1 (helicopter), registered N204LH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Denton, Texas (Denton Municipal Airport). 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 student pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter and the instructor's inadequate supervision of the flight by his delay in taking remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 9, 2004 · about 9:40 pm local time
- Place
- Denton, Texas · Denton Municipal Airport · 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
- N204LH · no longer on the register · serial 0172
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 2,800-hour flight instructor reported that while practicing hovering autorotations, the 40-hour student pilot applied full forward cyclic and full collective while reducing throttle. As the flight instructor applied full aft cyclic and lowered the collective, the helicopter pitched forward and the skids contacted the ground. Subsequently, the helicopter rolled to the left and came to rest on its left side.
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: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,800 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 160 in the last 90 days; 65 in the last 30 days; 1,950 as pilot in command; 150 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 14, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private, student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 300 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 27 in the last 30 days; 199 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 23, 2004
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 224 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 24, 2004; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-G1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DTO Denton TX at 8:40 pm
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
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.