Schweizer 269C accident near Norfolk, Virginia, June 15, 2004
On June 15, 2004 at about 10:20 pm local time, a Schweizer 269C (helicopter), registered N2065T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Norfolk, Virginia (Hampton Roads Executive airport). It was an instructional 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 student pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter, which resulted ground resonance. Contributing to the accident was the improperly serviced landing gear dampers.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 15, 2004 · about 10:20 pm local time
- Place
- Norfolk, Virginia · Hampton Roads Executive · map
- 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
- N2065T · no longer on the register · serial 146
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was conducting his third supervised solo flight, and had completed two takeoffs and landings. During his third landing attempt, after the helicopter contacted the ground, it began to vibrate violently. The student pilot was not able to stop the vibration, before the helicopter began to break apart. The accident was witnessed by the student pilot's flight instructor, who stated he utilized a hand-held radio to tell the student to pick up the helicopter, in order to recover. Examination of the landing skid dampers revealed that they were improperly charged. The helicopter had been operated for 371 hours since it's most recent annual inspection, which was performed about 6 months prior to the accident. The helicopter had been operated for 85 hours since it's most recent 100-hour inspection. The student pilot had accumulated 22 hours of total flight experience, all in the same make and model as the accident helicopter.
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
Dual student
- Flight time: 22 hours in all; 22 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,404 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 23, 2003; 371 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,900 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-D1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVG Norfolk VA
- Destination: PVG Norfolk VA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 pm from NGU, 12 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.