What happened
On July 27, 2024, at approximately 12:42 EDT, a Schweizer 269C-1 helicopter, registration N61486, was involved in a fatal accident near West Carthage, New York. The aircraft was being operated under 14 CFR Part 91 for personal use.
The pilot had departed from a private residence approximately 15 minutes before the accident. While flying at a low altitude over the local area, the helicopter was observed in a 50-foot hover over a commercial property. A witness reported hearing the engine noise sputter, after which the helicopter descended nearly vertically and slightly forward into a marshy area located behind the property.
The accident resulted in 1 fatality.
The investigation
The wreckage was recovered in an upright position, oriented toward the east. Investigators found that the lower fuselage was crushed inward and upward, and the tail boom had partially separated from the tail boom adapter. While the three main rotor blades remained attached to the hub, one blade sustained damage from contact with a tree trunk. The cockpit remained intact, though the windscreen was fragmented.
Mechanical examinations of the flight controls confirmed continuity for the main rotor driveshaft, tail rotor driveshaft, and the fore and aft cyclic control. A break was noted in the side-to-side cyclic control mixing bellcrank. The center collective had separated due to impact forces.
Upon inspection of the 32-gallon metal fuel tank, investigators found approximately 11 gallons of automobile gasoline. During the draining of the fuel, the flow was sporadic until the fuel cap was removed, suggesting a lack of venting. A borescope examination of the metal fuel vent tube revealed a blockage consisting of debris consistent with a mud dauber nest.
Engine inspections showed that the spark plug electrodes were intact and light gray. The magnetos produced spark at all leads, and oil was present throughout the engine. The carburetor had separated from the engine due to impact forces, but an internal examination showed that approximately 1/4 inch of fuel remained in the fuel bowl.