Schweizer 269C accident near Mesa, Arizona, June 21, 2001
On June 21, 2001 at about 9:40 pm local time, a Schweizer 269C (helicopter), registered N891CP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mesa, Arizona (Falcon Field). 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
a loss of power for unexplained reasons. Also causal was the CFI's operation of the helicopter in a region of the height/velocity curve where a successful autorotation could not be accomplished. A factor in the accident was the high density altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 21, 2001 · about 9:40 pm local time
- Place
- Mesa, Arizona · Falcon Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer 269C · all 269Cs on the register
- Registration
- N891CP · registry record · serial S1422
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
About 200 feet agl the engine lost power and the CFI conducted an autorotation that resulted in a hard landing. An FAA inspector interviewed the pilot and reported that the engine failure occurred as the CFI was demonstrating a normal approach. The engine quit when the helicopter was at 200 feet agl and below 50 knots airspeed. The CFI entered an autorotation and the helicopter had a high rate of descent at touchdown. According to the height/velocity performance chart in the rotorcraft flight manual, at 200 feet agl the helicopter had to be above a speed of 50 knots in order to accomplish a successful autorotation. There were no mechanical anomalies found during a post accident engine test run.
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, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,700 hours in all; 450 in this make and model; 180 in the last 90 days; 90 in the last 30 days; 4,600 as pilot in command; 96 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 29, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 22 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 20, 2001; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-D1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FFZ Mesa AZ at 8:30 pm
- Destination: FFZ Mesa AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway H1, 60 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 9:40 pm from FFZ
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.