20050617011769A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bolkms BO105S · Billings, MT · June 17, 2005

Date: June 17, 2005 · 14:50 local
Place: Billings, MT
Phase of flight: Sfl Autorotation
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N314MS
NTSB investigation: NTSBSEA05LA120
Reported as: Bolkms BO105S
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,650 total

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) During a proficiency flight check, the instructor pilot took the controls of the helicopter. At approximately 100 feet above ground level, the pilot noted that the sink rate felt greater than the previous autorotation. The pilot was landing downwind when the wind direction changed. The helicopter landed hard and the main rotor blades hit the tail, severing the tail rotor driveshaft.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) DURING A PROFICIENCY FLIGHT CHECK, THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT TOOK THE CONTROLS OF THE HELICOPTER. AT APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, THE PILOT NOTED THAT THE SINK RATE FELT GREATER THAN THE PREVIOUS AUTOROTATION. THE PILOT WAS LANDING DOWNWIND WHEN THE WIND DIRECTION CHANGED. THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES HIT THE TAIL, SEVERING THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVESHAFT.

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 SEA05LA120Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBillings, MTThe pilot's improper in-flight decision to continue a simulated engine-out autorotation after sensing an excessive descent rate at 100 feet above the ground. Factors include the excessive descent rate, variable winds, and a high density altitude.Jun 17, 2005 · Substantial damage