20031014035449A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 47G3B1 · Chicago/Schaumb, IL · October 14, 2003

Date: October 14, 2003 · 15:45 local
Place: Chicago/Schaumb, IL
Airport: Schaumburg Air Park Airport
Phase of flight: Sfl Autorotation
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N90463
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI04LA013
Reported as: Bell 47G3B1
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 435 total30 in this make and model30 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) The pilot in command was richard locklin who was being trained for logbook endorsement to obtain a CFI rating evaluation. James o'donnell was the CFI providing the training for the endorsement. Locklin was practicing autorotations to the ground both straight in and with a 180 degree turn. During the last autorotation with a 180 turn, locklin reported the rotor RPM being normal, however, at the last 3 to 5 feet during the final application of rotor pitch, he reported the helicopter was in an out of trim condition and drifting to the left. O'donnell instructed locklin to correct the trim before touch down but could not. O'donnell came on the controls to bring the helicopter into trim before touch down and was able to align the helicopter for a proper landing. The helicopter settled and impacted the ground causing the main rotor to contact the tail rotor drive shaft. privacy data omitted

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE PILOT IN COMMAND WAS RICHARD LOCKLIN WHO WAS BEING TRAINED FOR LOGBOOK ENDORSEMENT TO OBTAIN A CFI RATING EVALUATION. JAMES O'DONNELL WAS THE CFI PROVIDING THE TRAINING FOR THE ENDORSEMENT. LOCKLIN WAS PRACTICING AUTOROTATIONS TO THE GROUND BOTH STRAIGHT IN AND WITH A 180 DEGREE TURN. DURING THE LAST AUTOROTATION WITH A 180 TURN, LOCKLIN REPORTED THE ROTOR RPM BEING NORMAL, HOWEVER, AT THE LAST 3 TO 5 FEET DURING THE FINAL APPLICATION OF ROTOR PITCH, HE REPORTED THE HELICOPTER WAS IN AN OUT OF TRIM CONDITION AND DRIFTING TO THE LEFT. O'DONNELL INSTRUCTED LOCKLIN TO CORRECT THE TRIM BEFORE TOUCH DOWN BUT COULD NOT. O'DONNELL CAME ON THE CONTROLS TO BRING THE HELICOPTER INTO TRIM BEFORE TOUCH DOWN AND WAS ABLE TO ALIGN THE HELICOPTER FOR A PROPER LANDING. THE HELICOPTER SETTLED AND IMPACTED THE GROUND CAUSING THE MAIN ROTOR TO CONTACT THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^

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 CHI04LA013Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSchaumburg, ILThe commercial pilot not maintaining directional control of the helicopter and the improper flare initiated before landing.Oct 14, 2003 · Substantial damage