Schweizer 269C accident near Opa-Locka, Florida, October 6, 1993
On October 6, 1993 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Schweizer 269C (helicopter), registered N95AF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Opa-Locka, Florida (Opa-Locka airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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
IMPROPER SERVICING OF THREE OF THE FOUR MAIN LANDING GEAR DAMPERS BY COMPANY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL, AND INNADEQUATE REMEDIAL ACTION BY THE PILOT AS GROUND RESONANCE BEGAN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 6, 1993 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Opa-Locka, Florida · Opa-Locka · 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
- N95AF · registry record · serial S1574
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER WAS INVOLVED IN A PREVIOUS ACCIDENT INVOLVING A TAIL ROTOR STRIKE. AS A RESULT, IN PART, THE 4 LANDING GEAR DAMPERS WERE SERVICED. THE HELICOPTER WAS REPAIRED, INSPECTED, AND SIGNED OFF FOR RETURN TO SERVICE. TESTS OF THE MAIN ROTOR TRACK AND BALANCE WERE PERFORMED WITH NO DISCREPANCIES NOTED. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AS HE LANDED FROM A HOVER, THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO OSCILLATE FORE AND AFT (APPARENT GROUND RESONANCE). AT THE TIME, FULL POWER WAS APPLIED AND THE COLLECTIVE CONTROL WAS DOWN. REPORTEDLY, THE PILOT DID NOT RAISE THE COLLECTIVE. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE LEFT SKID FAILED, AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLED ONTO ITS LEFT SIDE. THREE OF THE 4 LANDING GEAR DAMPERS WERE DETERMINED TO BE IMPROPERLY SERVICED. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE DAMPERS WERE TESTED AND WERE FOUND TO BE FREE OF PREIMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION.
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: 904 hours in all; 74 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 41 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 378 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 29, 1993
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-D1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Miami Helicopter Service, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: OPF at 2:25 pm
- Destination: OPF
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:47 pm from OPF, 1 miles away
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 N95AF the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number MIA94LA002.