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.
Las Vegas metropolitan police department 1979 Hughes 369-D helicopter was involved in auto rotation practice when the main rotors struck the tail boom. Other circumstances are unknown. (.4)the supervisor of the law enforcement helicopter unit reported that the pilot was performing a practice autorotative landing to touchdown when, during the landing flare, the tail stinger contacted the ground. The helicopter landed hard and the main rotor blades then flexed downward severing the tail boom.
As the FAA filed it
LAS VEGAS METROPOLITAN POLICE DEPARTMENT 1979 HUGHES 369-D HELICOPTER WAS INVOLVED IN AUTO ROTATION PRACTICE WHEN THE MAIN ROTORS STRUCK THE TAIL BOOM. OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (.4)THE SUPERVISOR OF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT HELICOPTER UNIT REPORTED THAT THE PILOT WAS PERFORMING A PRACTICE AUTOROTATIVE LANDING TO TOUCHDOWN WHEN, DURING THE LANDING FLARE, THE TAIL STINGER CONTACTED THE GROUND. THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES THEN FLEXED DOWNWARD SEVERING THE TAIL BOOM.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.