Schweizer 269C accident near Hayward, California, October 18, 2002
On October 18, 2002 at about 1:12 am local time, a Schweizer 269C (helicopter), registered N61416, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hayward, California (Hayward Executive 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 flight instructor's inadequate supervision and delayed remedial action, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 18, 2002 · about 1:12 am local time
- Place
- Hayward, California · Hayward Executive · 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
- N61416 · no longer on the register · serial 0006
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter landed hard and rolled over while practicing 180-degree autorotations. The student entered the autorotation and applied excessive collective during the turn. The rpm decreased and the student lowered the nose of the helicopter in order to increase airspeed; consequently, the helicopter was in a low rpm and high airspeed condition as it approached the landing area. The student rolled on the throttle but the descent continued. The CFI then took control of the helicopter but ground impact occurred before he could arrest the descent.
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: 2,000 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 1,960 as pilot in command; 850 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 9, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 173 hours in all; 78 in this make and model; 72 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 103 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 11, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 20, 2002
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HO-360-C-1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OAK Oakland CA
- Destination: HWD Hayward CA
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 11:54 pm from HWD
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.