Schweizer 269C accident near Baltimore, Maryland, August 12, 1995
On August 12, 1995 at about 11:04 pm local time, a Schweizer 269C (helicopter), registered N7511E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Baltimore, Maryland. It was a public-use flight under public-use (government) rules. 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate terrain clearance which resulted in an inflight collision with the ground.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 12, 1995 · about 11:04 pm local time
- Place
- Baltimore, Maryland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer 269C · all 269Cs on the register
- Registration
- N7511E · no longer on the register · serial S1693
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The police helicopter, along with ground units, was in pursuit of a suspect traveling on a dirt bike. The pursuit proceeded eastbound into a park and according to the pilot, he tried to fly ahead of the suspect. The pilot reported that he descended and turned south. He then decided to regain altitude, at which time, he heard or felt a vibration or thud; the next thing he remembers is being on the ground inverted. An observer aboard the helicopter reported the pilot, in a unsuccessful attempt to get ahead of the suspect, descended to about treetop height, leveled the helicopter, and then began to climb. He felt a vibration rumble through the helicopter followed by ground impact. Examination of the accident site revealed the helicopter came to rest on its left side with a separated 4 feet section of tailboom section located about 125 feet away. Examination of the aircraft did not disclose evidence of mechanical malfunction of the main rotor, tail rotor, drive system, flight controls, fuselage or engine. The engine was tested and operated at 3150 rpm for about 20 minutes at 25 inches of manifold pressure. Examination of the tailboom fracture surface revealed evidence of overstress and no evidence of pre-existing cracking was noted.
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: 15,300 hours in all; 13,100 in this make and model; 160 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 14,900 as pilot in command; 1,100 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 863 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 24, 1995; 65 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-D1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MTN MD at 10:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from BWI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.