What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On July 13, 2007 at 13:20 PDT, N811HP experienced an in-flight loss of control while performing a hydraulics off simulated emergency procedure. The aircraft rolled left and struck the ground inadvertently and was substantially damaged. The pilot in command (PIC) stated during the instructional flight he had planned on demonstrating a "hydraulics off" approach and landing. While on downwind, he slowed the aircraft to 60 KTS and asked the other pilot who occupied the RH seat, to activate the hydraulic cut off switch. He said, after the hydraulics were turned off the controls were unusually heavy, especially the collective. The PIC stated, after turning final and slowing, the collective forces neutralized but the cyclic became more difficult. As the aircraft slowed to 15 KTS and descended to approximately 1 ft AGL, the aircraft began to come out of effective translational lift (etl) at approximately 10 KTS and began to settle to the ground. The PIC stated, the aircraft began to drift left and he was unable to stop it. He tried to speed up and regain etl but the aircraft began a slow pitch up and a left bank. The PIC said he asked privacy data omitted to restore the hydraulics but was unable to do so before the aircraft impacted the ground.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JULY 13, 2007 AT 13:20 PDT, N811HP EXPERIENCED AN IN-FLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL WHILE PERFORMING A HYDRAULICS OFF SIMULATED EMERGENCY PROCEDURE. THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED LEFT AND STRUCK THE GROUND INADVERTENTLY AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) STATED DURING THE INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT HE HAD PLANNED ON DEMONSTRATING A "HYDRAULICS OFF" APPROACH AND LANDING. WHILE ON DOWNWIND, HE SLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO 60 KTS AND ASKED THE OTHER PILOT WHO OCCUPIED THE RH SEAT, TO ACTIVATE THE HYDRAULIC CUT OFF SWITCH. HE SAID, AFTER THE HYDRAULICS WERE TURNED OFF THE CONTROLS WERE UNUSUALLY HEAVY, ESPECIALLY THE COLLECTIVE. THE PIC STATED, AFTER TURNING FINAL AND SLOWING, THE COLLECTIVE FORCES NEUTRALIZED BUT THE CYCLIC BECAME MORE DIFFICULT. AS THE AIRCRAFT SLOWED TO 15 KTS AND DESCENDED TO APPROXIMATELY 1 FT AGL, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO COME OUT OF EFFECTIVE TRANSLATIONAL LIFT (ETL) AT APPROXIMATELY 10 KTS AND BEGAN TO SETTLE TO THE GROUND. THE PIC STATED, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO DRIFT LEFT AND HE WAS UNABLE TO STOP IT. HE TRIED TO SPEED UP AND REGAIN ETL BUT THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN A SLOW PITCH UP AND A LEFT BANK. THE PIC SAID HE ASKED ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TO RESTORE THE HYDRAULICS BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT 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.