Schweizer 269C-1 accident near Van Nuys, California, September 10, 2006
On September 10, 2006, a Schweizer 269C-1 (helicopter), registered N323CP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Van Nuys, California (Van Nuys 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
Inadequate maintenance adjustment and missing mixture spring, which resulted in a loss of engine power during approach.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 10, 2006
- Place
- Van Nuys, California · Van Nuys · 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
- N323CP · registry record · serial 0181
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certified flight instructor (CFI) and pilot under instruction (PUI) were going to perform a practice autorotation onto the taxiway. The airspeed was 65 knots indicated airspeed (KIAS), the manifold pressure was 21-23 inches, and the altitude was about 500 feet above ground level (agl). Shortly after initiating the maneuver, the low voltage warning light illuminated. They scanned the operating gauges and tachometer, which indicated a loss of engine power. The CFI took control; the helicopter landed hard, and the tail boom separated. Post accident examination revealed that the engine would run rough at idle with full mixture applied. The engine produced 2,000 revolutions per minute (rpm) with the mixture leaned. Examination of the fuel servo revealed no anomaly other than the idle spring missing from the mixture link, and that the idle was out of adjustment. Initial flow test results were out of limits in the idle range, but satisfactory at maximum throttle. With proper adjustment of the idle link, test results were within specified limits in all ranges. The purpose of the idle mixture spring is to control the movement of the mixture adjustment. If this spring is not installed, the mixture setting can vibrate to higher or lower settings. Maintenance records indicated that maintenance personnel had recently made an adjustment to the idle setting.
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: 670 hours in all; 553 in this make and model; 247 in the last 90 days; 90 in the last 30 days; 587 as pilot in command; 334 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 100 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 55 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,769 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 1, 2006; 69 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming H/O-260-G1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VNY Van Nuys CA at 11:15 pm
- Destination: VNY
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 11:51 pm from VNY
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.