19991102030769A

(.19) On November 2, 1999, at 1532 pacific standard time, an Enstrom F28C helicopter, N635H, was destroyed when it sustained a tail rotor blade strike during a solo instructional flight at Pendleton airport, Pendleton, Oregon. The airline transport pilot, who was preparing for a commercial rotorcraft-helicopter rating, was fatally injured. The helicopter was registered to charlie inc., an entity of which the pilot was a principal. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the flight. No flight plan was filed. There was a post-impact fire. No ELT was installed in the aircraft. According to the pilot's flight instructor, he had accumulated approximately 66.5 hours of helicopter instruction, and was scheduled for an add-on commercial rating on the day following the accident. The instructor had flown once with the pilot for 1.7 hours the morning of the flight. The pilot had then flown again for approximately an hour in an additional flight before the accident flight. On the accident flight, the pilot was on his second left-hand circuit of the pattern for runway 34. According to the tower controller, the pilot had been cleared for the option on runway 34 on his first circuit . He had made three touchdowns along the length of runway 34, at the threshold, mid-length, and at the departure end of the runway, then had continued his circuit. On the second circuit, the tower controller had again cleared the pilot for the option. The tower controller observed similar touchdowns at the threshold, and at mid-field. He stated that he was looking away at the time of the crash; however he heard a very garbled transmission, looked in the direction of the helicopter, saw dirt flying, and activated the siren and dispatched rescue vehicles. He then saw smoke and flames. Ground strikes consistent with tail rotor blade strikes were found near the wreckage. Both tail rotor blades separated from the tail rotor hub, and the tail rotor gearbox also separated from the tailcone. No evidence of preexisting mechanical problems was found at the accident site. The pilot was ejected from the helicopter's cockpit. The helicopter was not equipped with shoulder harnesses. (-23)evidence indicates failure of tail rotor (whether due to impact or component failure undetermined) causing loss of stabilization and subsequent impact with ground. PIC ejected from a/c due to centrifal forces of spinning fuselage (as indicated in pictures of under carriage) ATC reports pilot performing stop and go hover manuevers when accident occurred. Pilot was student in training for helicopter rating. (.4) the helicopter was destroyed when it sustained a tail rotor blade strike during a solo instructional flight. The airline transport pilot, who was preparing for a commercial rotorcraft-helicopter rating checkride on the following day, was fatally injured. The pilot was on his second left-hand circuit of the pattern and had been cleared for the option. On his first circuit, he had made three touchdowns along the length of the runway, at the threshold, mid-length, and at the departure end, then had continued his circuit. On the second circuit, the tower controller had again cleared the pilot for the option. The tower controller observed similar touchdowns at the threshold, and at mid-field. He stated that he was looking away at the time o f the crash; however he heard a very garbled transmission, looked in the direction of the helicopter, saw dirt flying, and activated the siren and dispatched rescue vehicles. Ground strikes consistent with tail rotor blade strikes were found near the wreckage.