Schweizer 269C accident near Rialto, California, July 8, 1993
On July 8, 1993 at about 10:20 pm local time, a Schweizer 269C (helicopter), registered N9588F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rialto, California (Rialto Municipal 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
LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS, AND THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S IMPROPER FLARE DURING THE AUTOROTATION WHICH RESULTED IN A TAIL BOOM STRIKE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 8, 1993 · about 10:20 pm local time
- Place
- Rialto, California · Rialto Municipal · 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
- N9588F · no longer on the register · serial 1050442
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, THE STUDENT WAS PRACTICING AUTO ROTATIONS TO A POWER RECOVERY. ON THE LAST PRACTICE AUTO ROTATION, THE ENGINE QUIT WHEN THE STUDENT ROLLED THE THROTTLE TO IDLE. THE INSTRUCTOR TOOK OVER CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER AND EXECUTED A COMPLETE AUTO ROTATION TO TOUCH DOWN. DURING THE LANDING FLARE THE TAIL BOOM CONTACTED THE GROUND AND THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD. THE HELICOPTER WAS EXAMINED AND NO DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 620 hours in all; 450 in this make and model; 92 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 489 as pilot in command; 370 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,857 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 27, 1993; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-D1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Cari Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: L67 at 10:00 pm
- Destination: L67
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N9588F the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.