Aircraft
Certification Service Washington, DC U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration
SW-12-12
January 12, 2012
This is information only. Recommendations
aren’t mandatory.
Introduction
The Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) advises you,
owners and operators of Schweizer 269C and 269C-1 aircraft, that
Schweizer has updated the instructions and warning in the approved
Pilot Flight Manual (PFM) to avoid throttle chops to full idle,
minimizing the possibility of engine stoppage.
Background
The Windsor Locks Flight Standards District Office has found numerous
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) accident reports involving
practice autorotations of rotorcraft with air-aspirated engines. Most
of these accidents were caused by pilots conducting a rapid movement of
the throttle, i.e. throttle chop, resulting in the shutdown of the
air-aspirated engine. Another major factor in the accidents is that the
autorotations were practiced where by a safe touchdown could not be
accomplished with an unplanned engine shutdown as is required by the
FAA’s “Flight Instructor Practical Test Standards for Rotorcraft,
Helicopter, Gyroplane” (FAA-S-8081-7) and “Commercial Pilot Practical
test Standards for Rotorcraft, Helicopter, Gyroplane” (FAA-S-8081-16).
At this time, this airworthiness concern is not an unsafe condition
that would warrant AD action under Title 14 of the Code of Federal
Aviation Regulations (14 CFR) part 39.
Recommendations
The FAA strongly recommends that pilots and operators of rotorcraft
with Schweizer 269C and 269C-1 follow the updated PFM revision #18
which was approved on June 28, 2011. The PFM was updated to clarify
instructions for practice autorotations and to clarify warnings for
pilots that “rapid throttle reductions to full idle shall not be
conducted”.
Furthermore, a “Post Flight Requirements” section was added to the PFM to require the pilots to complete the following:
Brief PAX on exit safety,
Shutdown in accordance with Paragraph 4-14 & 4-16,
Service aircraft as required,
Notify maintenance of discrepancies, and
Secure aircraft as required.
For Further Information Contact
FAA, James Lee, New York Aircraft Certification Office, ANE-173, 1600
Stewart Ave, Suit 410, Westbury, N.Y. 11590; Tel: (516) 228-7368; Fax:
(516) 794-5531; email: james.chi.lee@faa.gov.