Schweizer 269C accident near Baltimore, Maryland, October 19, 1992
On October 19, 1992 at about 1:10 am local time, a Schweizer 269C (helicopter), registered N6132E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Baltimore, Maryland. It was a public-use flight under public-use (government) rules. 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A POWER LOSS OF UNDETERMINED ORIGIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE NIGHT CONDITIONS, THE LACK OF A SUITABLE LANDING AREA, AND THE INABILITY OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ROTOR RPM WHILE MANEUVERING TO AVOID OBSTACLES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 19, 1992 · about 1:10 am local time
- Place
- Baltimore, Maryland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer 269C · all 269Cs on the register
- Registration
- N6132E · no longer on the register · serial S1583
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE BALTIMORE POLICE DEPTARTMENT PILOT WAS SUPPORTING UNITS ON THE GROUND, AND AFTER COMPLETING AN ASSIGNMENT, HE STARTED A CLIMB. DURING A CLIMB THROUGH APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET AGL, A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER OCCURRED OVER A HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL AREA. WHILE MANEUVERING TO AVOID OBSTACLES DURING AN AUTOROTATION, HE LOST ROTOR RPM AND MADE A HARD LANDING IN A STREET INTERSECTION. THE ENGINE WAS TEST RUN SATISFACTORILY AND THE CAUSE OF THE POWER LOSS WAS NOT DETERMINED.
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: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 11,958 hours in all; 8,780 in this make and model; 96 in the last 90 days; 39 in the last 30 days; 11,800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,070 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 14, 1992; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-D1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Baltimore City Police Dept.
The flight
- Departed from: MTN Baltimore MD at 11:40 pm
- Destination: MTN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 030° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 7,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
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.