20070527009569A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Doug MD500E · Yerington, NV · May 27, 2007

Date: May 27, 2007 · 10:52 local
Place: Yerington, NV
Phase of flight: Pwr Off Vert Land/Autorotate
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N526BH
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX07CA177
Reported as: Doug MD500E
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 13,530 total9,118 in this make and model67 in the last 90 days

N526BHRegistration cancelled Nov 12, 2009 · Mcdonnell Douglas Heli 500-ES/N 0467E · Built 1991 Airframe modelMcdonnell Douglas Heli 500-E Engine modelAllison 250-C20 seriesTurbo-prop

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 stated the flight involved training in preparation for a certification test for the second pilot. A low level, power off autorotation to a power recovery was planned and attempted. Sufficient power to sustain flight was not established before the helicopter impacted terrain. Transfer of control was accomplished from the second pilot to the pilot in command before the helicopter impacted the ground.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE PILOT IN COMMAND STATED THE FLIGHT INVOLVED TRAINING IN PREPARATION FOR A CERTIFICATION TEST FOR THE SECOND PILOT. A LOW LEVEL, POWER OFF AUTOROTATION TO A POWER RECOVERY WAS PLANNED AND ATTEMPTED. SUFFICIENT POWER TO SUSTAIN FLIGHT WAS NOT ESTABLISHED BEFORE THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED TERRAIN. TRANSFER OF CONTROL WAS ACCOMPLISHED FROM THE SECOND PILOT TO THE PILOT IN COMMAND BEFORE THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE GROUND.

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 LAX07CA177Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportYerington, NVThe failure of the student and instructor to maintain an adequate main rotor rpm, and the instructor’s inadequate in-flight supervision while conducting a low-level simulated emergency procedure, which resulted in a hard landing.May 27, 2007 · Substantial damage