What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Helicopter landed hard and sustained substantial damage. (.4) the flight instructor lost control of the helicopter while demonstrating the technique for recovering from a loss of tail rotor effectiveness while hovering over a helipad. After assuming the controls for the demonstration, the instructor noticed that the RPM was set too low, at 99 percent. The instructor elected to `beep up' the RPM by stabilizing the cyclic with his left hand and `beeping' the RPM with the right thumb. He was unsuccessful in beeping the RPM up on 2 attempts. On his last attempt, while manipulating the cyclic lever with his left hand and the RPM switch with the thumb of his right hand, and keeping his eyes on the engine tachometer, the helicopter assumed a nose high attitude while drifting backwards. The flight instructor was not able to recover the helicopter in time to avoid impact with the ground. The winds at the time of the accidents were reported from the south at 27 knots. (-23) on June 18, 1998, at approximately 15:15 pm CDT, a Bell helicopter 2206 L4, N8094L, owned by Bell helicopter, was substantially damaged during a FAR part 61 training flight. During a demonstration of loss of tail rotor effectiveness at a hover, the flight instructor lost control of the aircraft, allowing the helicopter to crash. No flight plan was filed, visual conditions existed, no injuries occurred. However, the aircraft was substantially damaged throughout the entire fuselage, landing gear, rotor systems, and engine. The pilot holds a commercial pilot and flight instructor, rotorcraft helicopter certificate. The flight originated at Bell helicopter (2F2) Hurst, Texas, on June 18, 1998, at approximately 15:00 pm CDT.
As the FAA filed it
HELICOPTER LANDED HARD AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. (.4) THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR LOST CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER WHILE DEMONSTRATING THE TECHNIQUE FOR RECOVERING FROM A LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR EFFECTIVENESS WHILE HOVERING OVER A HELIPAD. AFTER ASSUMING THE CONTROLS FOR THE DEMONSTRATION, THE INSTRUCTOR NOTICED THAT THE RPM WAS SET TOO LOW, AT 99 PERCENT. THE INSTRUCTOR ELECTED TO `BEEP UP' THE RPM BY STABILIZING THE CYCLIC WITH HIS LEFT HAND AND `BEEPING' THE RPM WITH THE RIGHT THUMB. HE WAS UNSUCCESSFUL IN BEEPING THE RPM UP ON 2 ATTEMPTS. ON HIS LAST ATTEMPT, WHILE MANIPULATING THE CYCLIC LEVER WITH HIS LEFT HAND AND THE RPM SWITCH WITH THE THUMB OF HIS RIGHT HAND, AND KEEPING HIS EYES ON THE ENGINE TACHOMETER, THE HELICOPTER ASSUMED A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE WHILE DRIFTING BACKWARDS. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WAS NOT ABLE TO RECOVER THE HELICOPTER IN TIME TO AVOID IMPACT WITH THE GROUND. THE WINDS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENTS WERE REPORTED FROM THE SOUTH AT 27 KNOTS. (-23) ON JUNE 18, 1998, AT APPROXIMATELY 15:15 PM CDT, A BELL HELICOPTER 2206 L4, N8094L, OWNED BY BELL HELICOPTER, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A FAR PART 61 TRAINING FLIGHT. DURING A DEMONSTRATION OF LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR EFFECTIVENESS AT A HOVER, THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, ALLOWING THE HELICOPTER TO CRASH. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED, VISUAL CONDITIONS EXISTED, NO INJURIES OCCURRED. HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE FUSELAGE, LANDING GEAR, ROTOR SYSTEMS, AND ENGINE. THE PILOT HOLDS A COMMERCIAL PILOT AND FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, ROTORCRAFT HELICOPTER CERTIFICATE. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT BELL HELICOPTER (2F2) HURST, TEXAS, ON JUNE 18, 1998, AT APPROXIMATELY 15:00 PM CDT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.