# Accident 20061221025689A: Urocop EC120B, Grand Prairie, TX, December 21, 2006

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 21, 2006, 15:00 local time
- Place: Grand Prairie, TX
- Airport: Grand Prairie Municipal Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Sfl Autorotation
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.6986° N, 97.0469° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.6986&lon=-97.0469&mi=10
- Aircraft: N171AE, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N171AE-2016-09-19) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Eurocopter EC120B (registry code 8680987, https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-ec120b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Turbomeca ARRIUS-2F (registry code 60010, https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-arrius-2f) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: UROCOP EC120B
- Reported engine: TMECA ARRIU2F
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 5,943 total, 370 in this make and model, 143 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DFW07LA043](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DFW07LA043) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20061221025689A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) INSTRUCTOR PILOT ^PRIVACY ^ AND STUDENT ^PRIVACY DATA^ WERE PERFORMING 180 DEGREE AUTOROTATIONS TO A GRASS AREA AT GRAND PRAIRIE MUNI AIRPORT, TEXAS. STUDENT WAS GOING TO BE TOO LOW/SLOW SO INSTRUCTOR TOOK CONTROLS AND COMPLETED RUNNING LANDING. TOUCH DOWN WAS GOOD BUT WHILE SKIDDING TO A STOP, THE LEFT SKID ENCOUNTERED A SOFT SPOT AND DUG IN, NOSING THE AIRCRAFT OVER STRAIGHT AHEAD. ROTOR STRUCK THE GROUND AND BROKE UP. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A STOP ON ITS RIGHT SIDE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND NO FIRE. THE TAIL-CONE SUSTAINED A SLIGHT WRINKLE, THUS THE SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB DFW07LA043](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DFW07LA043), Dec 21, 2006: Eurocopter EC120B (N171AE), Grand Prairie, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The flight instructor's inadequate remedial action which resulted in a hard landing. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the practice autorotation.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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