What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Helicopter practicing auto rotations, unable to recover, engine did not respond, crashed. (.4)the certified flight instructor (CFI) was demonstrating a 180 degree turn autorotation with a power recovery. The CFI entered the maneuver approximately 600 feet above the ground. About 3/4 through the 180 degree turn, he noticed that the rotor speed was low. When the CFI decided to return the throttle to full power, there was no engine response. The CFI continued the approach, which resulted in a hard landing on the heel of the left skid, and the helicopter rolling over. Examination of the helicopter failed to disclose a mechanical problem or a system malfunction. During a functional check of the engine, it operated between idle and a moderated power range. Examination of the airframe disclosed that the skids were spread, and the landing gear damper assembly was fractured. According to FAA advisory circular, ac 61-13A, during the flare phase of an autorotation, the cyclic control should be moved forward to level the helicopter in preparation for landing. The advisory circular also stated that 'if a landing is to be made, allow th e helicopter to descend vertically. Apply collective pitch smoothly to check the descent and cushion the landing.' (-23)on may 1, 1997, at 1700 EDT,a Hughes 269A helicopter, N37754, collided with the ground when the engine failed to respond to the throttle increase during a power recovery from a practice autorotation near Lake Wales, Florida. The training flight operated under the provisions of title 14 CFR part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The helicopter sustained substantial damage. The two pilots were not injured. The flight's exact departure time from Lake Wales, Florida, was not determined. The pilot stated that, hwne he applied throttle to recover from the autorotative descent, he discovered that the engine had quit; he also discovered that the rotor speed had decayed. The heicopter collided with the ground, and rolled over.
As the FAA filed it
HELICOPTER PRACTICING AUTO ROTATIONS, UNABLE TO RECOVER, ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND, CRASHED. (.4)THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) WAS DEMONSTRATING A 180 DEGREE TURN AUTOROTATION WITH A POWER RECOVERY. THE CFI ENTERED THE MANEUVER APPROXIMATELY 600 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. ABOUT 3/4 THROUGH THE 180 DEGREE TURN, HE NOTICED THAT THE ROTOR SPEED WAS LOW. WHEN THE CFI DECIDED TO RETURN THE THROTTLE TO FULL POWER, THERE WAS NO ENGINE RESPONSE. THE CFI CONTINUED THE APPROACH, WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING ON THE HEEL OF THE LEFT SKID, AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLING OVER. EXAMINATION OF THE HELICOPTER FAILED TO DISCLOSE A MECHANICAL PROBLEM OR A SYSTEM MALFUNCTION. DURING A FUNCTIONAL CHECK OF THE ENGINE, IT OPERATED BETWEEN IDLE AND A MODERATED POWER RANGE. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRFRAME DISCLOSED THAT THE SKIDS WERE SPREAD, AND THE LANDING GEAR DAMPER ASSEMBLY WAS FRACTURED. ACCORDING TO FAA ADVISORY CIRCULAR, AC 61-13A, DURING THE FLARE PHASE OF AN AUTOROTATION, THE CYCLIC CONTROL SHOULD BE MOVED FORWARD TO LEVEL THE HELICOPTER IN PREPARATION FOR LANDING. THE ADVISORY CIRCULAR ALSO STATED THAT 'IF A LANDING IS TO BE MADE, ALLOW TH E HELICOPTER TO DESCEND VERTICALLY. APPLY COLLECTIVE PITCH SMOOTHLY TO CHECK THE DESCENT AND CUSHION THE LANDING.' (-23)ON MAY 1, 1997, AT 1700 EDT,A HUGHES 269A HELICOPTER, N37754, COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND WHEN THE ENGINE FAILED TO RESPOND TO THE THROTTLE INCREASE DURING A POWER RECOVERY FROM A PRACTICE AUTOROTATION NEAR LAKE WALES, FLORIDA. THE TRAINING FLIGHT OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 WITH NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED. VISUAL WEATHER CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE TWO PILOTS WERE NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT'S EXACT DEPARTURE TIME FROM LAKE WALES, FLORIDA, WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE PILOT STATED THAT, HWNE HE APPLIED THROTTLE TO RECOVER FROM THE AUTOROTATIVE DESCENT, HE DISCOVERED THAT THE ENGINE HAD QUIT; HE ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THE ROTOR SPEED HAD DECAYED. THE HEICOPTER COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND, AND ROLLED OVER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N37754 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.