Schweizer 269C accident near Mount Holly, New Jersey, July 31, 2005
On July 31, 2005 at about 2:45 pm local time, a Schweizer 269C (helicopter), registered N399HF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mount Holly, New Jersey (South Jersey Regional airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's delayed remedial action. A factor was the flight instructor's failure to ensure that both pilots knew who was performing the maneuver.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 31, 2005 · about 2:45 pm local time
- Place
- Mount Holly, New Jersey · South Jersey Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer 269C · all 269Cs on the register
- Registration
- N399HF · no longer on the register · serial 0176
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Prior to the helicopter instructional flight, the flight instructor and the student pilot discussed a loss of engine power during takeoff. The student pilot, who had not previously performed the maneuver, thought the flight instructor was going to demonstrate it. During the flight, while the helicopter was climbing through 400-500 feet, the flight instructor advised the student of the pending simulated engine failure, and "rolled down" the throttle. The helicopter commenced an autorotation, with the flight instructor thinking the student pilot was at the controls, and the student pilot thinking the flight instructor was at the controls. During the autorotation, when the helicopter appeared to be headed for some trees, "the collective was raised to extend the glide, but the rotor rpm was decreasing and the forward airspeed had slowed also." The helicopter cleared the trees, but at 60 feet above the ground, the rotor rpm was below the power off range. The flight instructor then "got on the controls, lowered the collective, rolled on the throttle, and flared the helicopter." The helicopter continued its descent, the tail hit the ground, and the helicopter impacted the ground in a level attitude, then rolled over.
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; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,380 hours in all; 1,302 in this make and model; 178 in the last 90 days; 49 in the last 30 days; 1,332 as pilot in command; 1,123 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 95 hours in all; 95 in this make and model; 47 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,166 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 1, 2005; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VAY Mount Holly NJ at 2:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 3,911 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 am from VAY
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.