Schweizer 269C accident near Arcadia, Florida, October 28, 1988
On October 28, 1988 at about 1:45 pm local time, a Schweizer 269C (helicopter), registered N75068, was substantially damaged in an accident near Arcadia, Florida (Arcadia Muni airport). It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 28, 1988 · about 1:45 pm local time
- Place
- Arcadia, Florida · Arcadia Muni
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer 269C · all 269Cs on the register
- Registration
- N75068 · registry record · serial S1323
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER MAKING AN APCH TO 'THE NUMBERS' ON RWY 5, THE PLT DECELERATED THE HELICOPTER & BEGAN TO AIR TAXI TO THE REFUELING AREA. SUBSQUENTLY, WHILE DECELERATING AND/OR WHILE TAXIING, THE TAIL ROTOR COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN.
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
- Ratings: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,871 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 1,805 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 352 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 12, 1988; 71 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-D1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EMY Fort Myers FL at 12:35 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 5, 3,700 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 pm from FMY, 36 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N75068 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.