20070105000439A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Enstrm F-28A · Bruceville, TX · January 5, 2007

Date: January 5, 2007 · 14:35 local
Place: Bruceville, TX
Phase of flight: Pwr On Vertical Ldng/Rtrcrft
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N764PC
NTSB investigation: NTSBDFW07CA053
Reported as: Enstrm F28A
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,400 total50 in this make and model40 in the last 90 days

N764PCRegistration cancelled Apr 16, 2009 · Enstrom F-28AS/N 073 · Built 1971 Airframe modelEnstrom F-28A Engine modelLycoming I0360 seriesReciprocating

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 flight instructor was demonstrating a hovering autorotation to a student. When the helicopter contacted the ground it pitched forward until the rotor blades and nose contacted the ground. When the helicopter returned to an upright position the main rotor blades ripped the drive shaft to the tail rotor off of the helicopter. Recent rains had soaked into the ground where the helicopter was doing the hovering autorotation. The ground did not support this type of operation. This report is closed.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WAS DEMONSTRATING A HOVERING AUTOROTATION TO A STUDENT. WHEN THE HELICOPTER CONTACTED THE GROUND IT PITCHED FORWARD UNTIL THE ROTOR BLADES AND NOSE CONTACTED THE GROUND. WHEN THE HELICOPTER RETURNED TO AN UPRIGHT POSITION THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES RIPPED THE DRIVE SHAFT TO THE TAIL ROTOR OFF OF THE HELICOPTER. RECENT RAINS HAD SOAKED INTO THE GROUND WHERE THE HELICOPTER WAS DOING THE HOVERING AUTOROTATION. THE GROUND DID NOT SUPPORT THIS TYPE OF OPERATION. THIS REPORT IS CLOSED.

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 DFW07CA053Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportBruceville, TXThe instructor pilot's improper demonstration of an autorotation, resulting in the helicopter's main rotor blades impacting the ground.Jan 5, 2007 · Substantial damage