What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot statement read as follows: while on takeoff for fuel burn flight to get the aircraft down to mission weight, pilot side door started rattling, noticed door was not properly closed. Decided to make a right circle to land at the departure end of the runway. On short final inadvertently entered settling with power, reduced collective but too low to fly out. Aircraft continued to the ground and hard landing occurred. Operator originally scheduled a mission but was cancelled, as a result rotorcraft had to be flown to burn off fuel prior to landing.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT STATEMENT READ AS FOLLOWS: WHILE ON TAKEOFF FOR FUEL BURN FLIGHT TO GET THE AIRCRAFT DOWN TO MISSION WEIGHT, PILOT SIDE DOOR STARTED RATTLING, NOTICED DOOR WAS NOT PROPERLY CLOSED. DECIDED TO MAKE A RIGHT CIRCLE TO LAND AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. ON SHORT FINAL INADVERTENTLY ENTERED SETTLING WITH POWER, REDUCED COLLECTIVE BUT TOO LOW TO FLY OUT. AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO THE GROUND AND HARD LANDING OCCURRED. OPERATOR ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED A MISSION BUT WAS CANCELLED, AS A RESULT ROTORCRAFT HAD TO BE FLOWN TO BURN OFF FUEL PRIOR TO LANDING.
Other reports on N402MA · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.