Probable cause
The flight instructor's delayed remedial action during a simulated autorotation.
NTSB analysis
The flight instructor and student pilot were conducting flight maneuvers in a helicopter. During one of the maneuvers, the instructor simulated a forced-landing. The student pilot entered the helicopter into an autorotation. Upon reaching about 200 feet above the ground, the student pilot pulled aft cyclic and raised the collective. The main rotor rpm dropped rapidly and forward airspeed decreased. The instructor then took over the controls. The helicopter subsequently landed hard and the main rotor blades made contact with a tree and the helicopter's tail section before the helicopter came to rest on its right side.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for MIA08CA202 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Sep 25, 2008
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Titusville, Florida
- Nearest airport
- Space Coast Regional Airport (TIX)
- Highest injury
- Minor
- Minor injuries
- 1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Schweizer 269C-1
- N-number
- N1901M
- Category
- Helicopter
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Instructional
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.