Accident Details
On January 15, 2011, at approximately 1705 eastern standard time, a Schweizer 269C-1 helicopter, registration N21086, sustained substantial damage when it became airborne and collided with the ramp at Witham Field Airport (SUA) in Stuart, Florida. The helicopter was operated by Bristow Academy, Inc. and was being used for a cross-country instructional flight under 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at Tamiami, Florida, around 1510. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a company visual flight rules flight plan had been filed.
Sequence of Events
According to the operator, the helicopter was involved in a training exercise with another company helicopter. After landing on the ramp, the flight instructor assisted the student pilot in setting the collective friction, and the student pilot set the cyclic friction. The instructor then transferred control to the student and exited the helicopter. The student pilot remained in the cockpit to allow the engine to cool down for shutdown. As the instructor was being driven off the ramp on a line cart, he observed the helicopter become airborne and enter a left spin. The helicopter then struck the ramp surface and came to rest on its right side. A pilot witness estimated that the helicopter reached about 30 feet in height before the collision.
The student pilot reported that after the instructor left, he noticed the helicopter getting "light on [the] skids" and beginning a slight yaw to the right. He confirmed the collective was fully down and pushed slightly on the already stiff cyclic (due to friction) to avoid the other helicopter. The helicopter then climbed, rolled right, and the main rotor blades struck the tarmac. The engine was still running after the rollover; the student shut it down and exited.
Wreckage Examination
An FAA inspector examined the wreckage with assistance from Bristow Academy personnel. Control continuity was confirmed for the collective, cyclic, and antitorque controls. The cyclic and collective friction adjustments operated normally. The main rotor blades were substantially damaged from impact with the ramp. The fuselage, landing gear skids, and tail boom also exhibited substantial damage. The second helicopter received minor damage from flying debris.
Operator Statement
The operator reported that there was no mechanical failure or malfunction with the helicopter prior to the accident.
Weather Conditions
Weather recorded at SUA at 1647 included winds from 090 degrees at 12 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, few clouds at 4,000 feet, temperature 20°C, dew point 10°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.15 inches Hg.