Accident Details
On February 23, 2023, at approximately 18:40 local time, a Schweizer 269C helicopter, registration HA-HBQ, operated by Fly-Coop Kft., was conducting a training flight near Páty, Hungary (coordinates 47°30'29.5"N 18°47'37.7"E). The flight was a training exercise with an instructor and a student on board. The crew performed an off-airfield autorotation practice. During the maneuver, the helicopter did not respond appropriately to throttle input. The crew executed a forced autorotation landing in a field near Páty. Upon touchdown, the rotor blades struck the tail boom, causing the helicopter to yaw 180 degrees around its vertical axis and roll onto its right side.
Damage and Injuries
The helicopter sustained substantial damage. No personal injuries were reported.
Investigation Findings
The investigation board determined the direct cause of the accident was a throttle control failure attributable to a missing cotter pin on the fuel injector metering unit. Additionally, the autorotation practice was conducted under inappropriate conditions, and associated human factors contributed to the accident sequence.
The board did not identify any circumstances warranting the issuance of safety recommendations.