Plymouth, MA, USA
N2074K
Schweizer 269C
During an instructional flight and while at a hover, the rotorcraft-rated private pilot initiated a clearing pedal turn to the right. After about a quarter turn, the helicopter "violently yawed to the right, and crashed," before the flight instructor could react. Examination of the helicopter revealed no mechanical anomalies. In addition, the flight instructor was involved in a similar accident with the same helicopter, but a different student, a month earlier.
On March 12, 2007, at 0845 eastern daylight time, N2074K, a Schweizer 269C, was substantially damaged when it impacted the ground while hovering at the Plymouth Municipal Airport (PYM), Plymouth, Massachusetts. The certificated flight instructor and certificated private pilot were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local instructional flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. According to the flight instructor, while at a hover, the private pilot initiated a clearing pedal turn to the right. After about a quarter turn, the helicopter "violently yawed to the right, and crashed." The flight instructor reported that the helicopter impacted the ground before he could react. According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the helicopter's left skid impacted the ground during a hover, and then the helicopter rolled onto its left side. Examination of the helicopter by a representative from Schweizer and the FAA revealed no mechanical deficiencies. Substantial damage was noted to the fuselage and tail boom. The FAA inspector additionally reported that the flight instructor was involved in an unreported accident on February 1, 2007, in the same helicopter. According to the inspector, the flight instructor was practicing hovering with a different student, when the helicopter yawed to the left and impacted the ground. The flight instructor reported 310 hours of total flight experience, all of which were in rotorcraft. The private pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single engine land and rotorcraft-helicopter. He reported 940 hours of total flight experience, 163 of which were in rotorcraft.
The student pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter during a hover, and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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