What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Calstar check airman, paul likens was conducting a 135.293 & 135.297 check, david harvey was the airman being checked. Paul likens rolled off the #1 engine throttle while the helicopter was hovering down the taxiway for takeoff. David harvey lowered the collective abruptly, the helicopter impacted the ground and bounced back into the air. It then came down tail low and struck the ground with the tail rotor, which broke off the tail rotor gear box. Then the helicopter started turning to the right. Paul likens rolled off the #2 engine and completed a hovering autorotation without further damage.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) CALSTAR CHECK AIRMAN, PAUL LIKENS WAS CONDUCTING A 135.293 & 135.297 CHECK, DAVID HARVEY WAS THE AIRMAN BEING CHECKED. PAUL LIKENS ROLLED OFF THE #1 ENGINE THROTTLE WHILE THE HELICOPTER WAS HOVERING DOWN THE TAXIWAY FOR TAKEOFF. DAVID HARVEY LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE ABRUPTLY, THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE GROUND AND BOUNCED BACK INTO THE AIR. IT THEN CAME DOWN TAIL LOW AND STRUCK THE GROUND WITH THE TAIL ROTOR, WHICH BROKE OFF THE TAIL ROTOR GEAR BOX. THEN THE HELICOPTER STARTED TURNING TO THE RIGHT. PAUL LIKENS ROLLED OFF THE #2 ENGINE AND COMPLETED A HOVERING AUTOROTATION WITHOUT FURTHER DAMAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N222UT · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.