Schweizer 269C accident near Boise, Idaho, May 15, 2006
On May 15, 2006 at about 9:35 pm local time, a Schweizer 269C (helicopter), registered N2096W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Boise, Idaho (Boise Air Terminal/Gowen Field). It was an instructional flight 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
The reduction of the throttle to idle at a high density altitude during a practice autorotation, which resulted in the engine stoppage. Factors contributing to the accident included the instructor pilot's improper planning by not adhering to the flight manual's warning to avoid reducing the throttle to the idle position at high density altitudes, and the uneven terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 15, 2006 · about 9:35 pm local time
- Place
- Boise, Idaho · Boise Air Terminal/Gowen Field · 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
- N2096W · no longer on the register · serial S 1865
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During an instructional flight, in which a practice autorotation was to be demonstrated, the instructor pilot instructed the student to reduce the throttle to idle to simulate an engine failure at altitude. During the course of the maneuver and after the throttle had been reduced to idle the instructor became aware that the engine had failed. An autorotation was completed to the ground into the wind to a grass field with a slight up slope, which resulted in the helicopter sliding backwards approximately 15 feet before the tail boom, which flexed up was impacted by the main rotor. The helicopter suffered damage to the tail boom, all three main rotor blades, and the tail rotor drive shaft. A subsequent engine run, which was overseen by two FAA inspectors, revealed no anomalies which would have precluded normal operations. The inspectors did note that while the idle rpm and idle mixture were adjusted poorly for altitude and temperature, this did not result in the loss of engine power; the instructor pilot's failure to follow the cautions in the helicopter's flight manual did result in the loss of power.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,714 hours in all; 293 in this make and model; 155 in the last 90 days; 61 in the last 30 days; 5,132 as pilot in command; 2,656 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 111 hours in all; 109 in this make and model; 47 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 71 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 978 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2006; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-DIA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BOI Boise ID at 8:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from BOI, 2 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 N2096W the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.