Schweizer 269C-1 accident near Titusville, Florida, October 29, 2005
On October 29, 2005 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Schweizer 269C-1 (helicopter), registered N1567C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Titusville, Florida (Space Coast Regional 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 pilot-in-command's improper flare during a practice autorotative landing, 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 29, 2005 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Titusville, Florida · Space Coast Regional · 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
- N1567C · no longer on the register · serial 0203
- 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 during a practice autorotation. According to the pilot the accident practice autorotation was planned to the ground, and it was uneventful until he executed the flare. He stated that as he flared the helicopter, maintained the flare to get "the sink feeling", then came to a level attitude, and attempted to cushion the set-down, the helicopter "fell right through." He said the helicopter impacted the ground hard, incurring damage, because the sink rate was too great. According to the pilot, prior to the accident, there were no mechanical failures and malfunctions to the helicopter or any of its systems.
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: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 250 hours in all; 176 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360 61A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TIX Titusville FL
- Destination: TIX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 am from TIX
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.