Schweizer 269C accident near Media, Pennsylvania, February 28, 2004
On February 28, 2004 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Schweizer 269C (helicopter), registered N75070, was substantially damaged in an accident near Media, Pennsylvania. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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 lack of previous lubrication to the tail rotor drive shaft forward fitting teeth, which resulted in their gradual wear, the eventual slippage of the shaft, and the subsequent loss of tailrotor thrust and forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 28, 2004 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Media, Pennsylvania · 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
- N75070 · registry record · serial 1404
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was flying the helicopter in cruise flight, at 800 feet, when a loss of tail rotor thrust occurred, with a "sharp metallic-sounding squeal." The student pilot then performed an autorotation which resulted in a hard landing. Examination of the tail rotor drive shaft, forward fitting teeth, revealed smearing and rubbing in the middle of the tooth surfaces. A wear/rubbing failure mechanism had been previously seen on other helicopters, that resulted from insufficient lubrication. Although the forward fitting had a significant amount of grease on it, it could not be confirmed whether grease had always been present. No significant manufacturing defects were found. With over 3,000 helicopters in service, only two similar events had been attributed to insufficient lubrication, and both occurred on same helicopter model within the previous year. Shaft loading, which was "relatively light," only required minimal lubrication to a design that had remained essentially unaltered since the 1960s. The shaft, which required an inspection every 300 hours, had last been inspected 180 hours before the accident.
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 120 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 48 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,811 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 16, 2004; 83 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VAY Medford NJ at 6:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.30 inHg
- Observation at 6:54 pm from PHL, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 N75070 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.