Schweizer 269C accident near Kahului, Hawaii, September 12, 1991
On September 12, 1991 at about 2:24 am local time, a Schweizer 269C (helicopter), registered N6128Q, was destroyed in an accident near Kahului, Hawaii. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE STUDENT PILOT ENTRY INTO AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PERFORM AN AUTOROTATION. THE STUDENT PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE WAS A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 12, 1991 · about 2:24 am local time
- Place
- Kahului, Hawaii · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer 269C · all 269Cs on the register
- Registration
- N6128Q · registry record · serial S1508
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT, WHO HAD LOGGED A TOTAL OF 36 FLYING HOURS IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL HELICOPTER DURING THE PAST 5 MONTHS, TOOK OFF FOR A PRACTICE FLIGHT APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THE ACCIDENT A GROUND WITNESS OBSERVED THE HELICOPTER MANEUVERING FROM SIDE TO SIDE AT A LOW ALTITUDE AND HEARD A POPPING OR SPUTTERING NOISE EMANATING FROM THE HELICOPTER PRIOR TO THE COLLISION WITH THE GROUND. THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A NOSE HIGH, TAIL LOW ATTITUDE. THE FRONT SECTION OF THE SKIDS WAS NOT DAMAGED. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE AFTER THE ACCIDENT DID NOT DISCLOSE ANY EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 36 hours in all; 36 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 6 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 600 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 10, 1991
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-DIA (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Pacific Aviation Group, INC.
The flight
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.