Schweizer 269C-1 accident near Titusville, Florida, September 25, 2008
On September 25, 2008 at about 3:15 pm local time, a Schweizer 269C-1 (helicopter), registered N1901M, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Titusville, Florida (Space Coast Regional Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's delayed remedial action during a simulated autorotation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 25, 2008 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Titusville, Florida · Space Coast Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer 269C-1 · all 269C-1s on the register
- Registration
- N1901M · no longer on the register · serial 0266
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor and student pilot were conducting flight maneuvers in a helicopter. During one of the maneuvers, the instructor simulated a forced-landing. The student pilot entered the helicopter into an autorotation. Upon reaching about 200 feet above the ground, the student pilot pulled aft cyclic and raised the collective. The main rotor rpm dropped rapidly and forward airspeed decreased. The instructor then took over the controls. The helicopter subsequently landed hard and the main rotor blades made contact with a tree and the helicopter's tail section before the helicopter came to rest on its right side.
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
What happened, in order
- Simulated/training event during maneuvering
- Autorotation Attempted remediation/recovery
- Hard landing during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 565 hours in all; 505 in this make and model; 119 in the last 90 days; 49 in the last 30 days; 507 as pilot in command; 307 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 19, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 513 hours in all; 37 in this make and model
- Last flight review: April 25, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,487 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 8, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-G1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Bristow Academy INC
The flight
- Departed from: TIX Titusville FL at 2:45 pm
- Destination: TIX Titusville FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 3:47 pm from KTIX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 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.