20001024018399I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Bell OH58A · New Bern, NC · October 24, 2000

Date: October 24, 2000 · 04:45 local
Place: New Bern, NC
Airport: Craven County Regional Airport
Phase of flight: Pwr Off Vert Land/Autorotate
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N309HP
Reported as: Bell OH58A
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,500 total1,100 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.

(-23) Aircraft N309HP was enroute to beaufort, NC at 3000' MSL. While passing over seymour johnson air force base at approximately 0520 local time, the aircraft experienced slight uncommanded yaw inputs and torque fluctuations. The aircraft diverted to New Bern, NC. Power was reduced during the approach phase, at approximately 30' AGL, the low rotor light and horn came on. At approximately 10' AGL the rotor system lost lift and the aircraft dropped to the ground, bounced once and slid approximately 100' to a stop.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AIRCRAFT N309HP WAS ENROUTE TO BEAUFORT, NC AT 3000' MSL. WHILE PASSING OVER SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE AT APPROXIMATELY 0520 LOCAL TIME, THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED SLIGHT UNCOMMANDED YAW INPUTS AND TORQUE FLUCTUATIONS. THE AIRCRAFT DIVERTED TO NEW BERN, NC. POWER WAS REDUCED DURING THE APPROACH PHASE, AT APPROXIMATELY 30' AGL, THE LOW ROTOR LIGHT AND HORN CAME ON. AT APPROXIMATELY 10' AGL THE ROTOR SYSTEM LOST LIFT AND THE AIRCRAFT DROPPED TO THE GROUND, BOUNCED ONCE AND SLID APPROXIMATELY 100' TO A STOP.