Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

On June 13, 2004, at approximately 1430 mountain daylight time, a Schweizer 269C, N2062N was substantially damaged during a hard landing to runway 17R at Centennial Airport (APA), Englewood, Colorado. The private pilot and his passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. No flight plan had been filed for the personal flight being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight departed Jefferson County Airport (BJC), Broomfield, Colorado, at approximately 1400.

According to the pilot's accident report, he had been cleared for take-off and landings on runway 17R. The pilot reported that after crossing the threshold at 40 knots and 40 feet agl, he "felt like [he] was in a high rate of descent and the [helicopter] began to sink." The pilot suspected he was "settling with power" and decreased the collective and pushed the cyclic forward. The helicopter continued to sink, impacting the runway hard and sliding for approximately 6 feet. After briefly assessing the damage, the pilot flew the helicopter back to BJC and landed uneventfully. Later examination revealed that the front and rear crossbar and the right tail boom support strut were bent.

Density altitude was calculated at 8,622 feet. The out of ground effect hover ceiling was calculated at approximately 5,600 feet and the in ground effect hover ceiling was calculated between 6,200 and 7,600 feet. Airport elevation is 5,883 feet msl. the settling with power situation encountered by the pilot. Contributing to the accident was the high density altitude.