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19970923028229A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Bell 206L4 · Hurst, TX · September 23, 1997

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
September 23, 1997 · 10:10 local
Place
Hurst, TX
Airport
Bell Helicopter Hurst Heliport
Phase of flight
Pwr On Vertical Ldng/Rtrcrft
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N9264G
NTSB investigation
NTSBFTW97LA361
Reported as
Bell 206L4
Reported engine
Allison 250C30
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
10,000 total3,500 in this make and model100 in the last 90 days

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

During autorotaions to rwy 18. Land firm nose high. Felt shudder. Continued. After dual found wrinkles on tailboom. (-23) the commercial rated pilot was practicing straight-in auto rotations. During the sixth autorotation, the pilot increased collective pitch and the main rotor speed decreased below 70 percent. During touchdown, the pilot felt the helicopter shudder, and it slid to a stop in about 40 feet. After completion of the planned maneuvers, the helicopter was flown to the Bell helicopter plant 8 and was shut down. During preflight for the next flight, a wrinkle on top of the tail boom was found. See attached Bell helicopter Textron letter dated September 5, 1984, subject: skin compression wrinkles in tail boom. (.19) on September 23, 1997, approximately 1010 central daylight time, a Bell 206-L4 helicopter, N9264G, registered to Textron financial corporation and operated by Bell helicopter Textron, was substantially damaged during landing at the Bell Helicopter Hurst Heliport, Hurst, Texas. The airline transport rated flight instructor and the commercial rated student pilot were n ot injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the title 14 CFR part 91 instructional flight. The flight originated from the Bell helicopter plant 8 heliport, about 10 minutes before the accident. According to preliminary information, the commercial pilot was practicing straight-in autorotations. During the sixth autorotation, the commercial pilot increased collective, and the main rotor speed decreased below 70 percent. During touch down the flight instructor felt the helicopter shudder, and it slide to a stop in about 40 feet. The flight instructor got out and inspected the helicopter for damage. No damage was observed and the flight continued. After completion of the planned manuevers, the helicopter was flown to the Bell helicopter plant 8 heliport and shut down. During preflight for the next flight, a wrinkle on top of the tailboom was found.

As the FAA filed it

DURING AUTOROTAIONS TO RWY 18. LAND FIRM NOSE HIGH. FELT SHUDDER. CONTINUED. AFTER DUAL FOUND WRINKLES ON TAILBOOM. (-23) THE COMMERCIAL RATED PILOT WAS PRACTICING STRAIGHT-IN AUTO ROTATIONS. DURING THE SIXTH AUTOROTATION, THE PILOT INCREASED COLLECTIVE PITCH AND THE MAIN ROTOR SPEED DECREASED BELOW 70 PERCENT. DURING TOUCHDOWN, THE PILOT FELT THE HELICOPTER SHUDDER, AND IT SLID TO A STOP IN ABOUT 40 FEET. AFTER COMPLETION OF THE PLANNED MANEUVERS, THE HELICOPTER WAS FLOWN TO THE BELL HELICOPTER PLANT 8 AND WAS SHUT DOWN. DURING PREFLIGHT FOR THE NEXT FLIGHT, A WRINKLE ON TOP OF THE TAIL BOOM WAS FOUND. SEE ATTACHED BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON LETTER DATED SEPTEMBER 5, 1984, SUBJECT: SKIN COMPRESSION WRINKLES IN TAIL BOOM. (.19) ON SEPTEMBER 23, 1997, APPROXIMATELY 1010 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A BELL 206-L4 HELICOPTER, N9264G, REGISTERED TO TEXTRON FINANCIAL CORPORATION AND OPERATED BY BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING LANDING AT THE BELL HELICOPTER HURST HELIPORT, HURST, TEXAS. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT RATED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND THE COMMERCIAL RATED STUDENT PILOT WERE N OT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE BELL HELICOPTER PLANT 8 HELIPORT, ABOUT 10 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. ACCORDING TO PRELIMINARY INFORMATION, THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS PRACTICING STRAIGHT-IN AUTOROTATIONS. DURING THE SIXTH AUTOROTATION, THE COMMERCIAL PILOT INCREASED COLLECTIVE, AND THE MAIN ROTOR SPEED DECREASED BELOW 70 PERCENT. DURING TOUCH DOWN THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR FELT THE HELICOPTER SHUDDER, AND IT SLIDE TO A STOP IN ABOUT 40 FEET. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR GOT OUT AND INSPECTED THE HELICOPTER FOR DAMAGE. NO DAMAGE WAS OBSERVED AND THE FLIGHT CONTINUED. AFTER COMPLETION OF THE PLANNED MANUEVERS, THE HELICOPTER WAS FLOWN TO THE BELL HELICOPTER PLANT 8 HELIPORT AND SHUT DOWN. DURING PREFLIGHT FOR THE NEXT FLIGHT, A WRINKLE ON TOP OF THE TAILBOOM WAS FOUND.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB FTW97LA361Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportHurst, TXThe improper touchdown by the commercial pilot receiving instruction. A factor was the flight instructor's inadequate supervision.Sep 23, 1997 · Substantial damage