Schweizer 269C-1 accident near Byron, New York, December 27, 2003
On December 27, 2003 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Schweizer 269C-1 (helicopter), registered N358SS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Byron, New York. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper use of the collective, and failure to maintain main rotor rpm, which resulted in low main rotor rpm and a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 27, 2003 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Byron, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer 269C-1 · all 269C-1s on the register
- Registration
- N358SS · no longer on the register · serial 121
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was practicing autorotations into an off airport open field. The landing was hard, and the pilot received serious injuries. The pilot reported the he felt a shudder during the autorotation, and tried to regain airspeed by using forward cyclic, but he was unable to regain airspeed. Examination of the helicopter found evidence of low main rotor rpm. No discrepancies were found with the flight controls and engine.
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: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 275 hours in all; 105 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: June 9, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 907.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 2, 2003; 96.2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Textron Lycoming HO-360-C1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GVQ Batavia NY at 6:15 pm
- Destination: GVQ
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.32 inHg
- Observation at 7:54 pm from ROC, 19 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.
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.