# Accident 20091016053579A: Mcdonnell D 500N, Los Alamitos, CA, October 16, 2009

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 16, 2009, 11:00 local time
- Place: Los Alamitos, CA
- Airport: Los Alamitos
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.7900° N, 118.0514° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.7900&lon=-118.0514&mi=10
- Aircraft: N521HB, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N521HB-2023-03-04) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 500N (registry code 3027374, https://openairdocs.org/model/mcdonnell-douglas-helicopter-500n) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Allison 250-C20 series (registry code 03020, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c20-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MCDONNELL D 500N
- Reported engine: ALLISON 250-C20 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 1,841 total, 1,780 in this make and model, 130 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR10TA025](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR10TA025) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20091016053579A

## Narrative

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

DURING MY INTERVIEW WITH THE PILOT, HE STATED THAT THEY WERE ABOUT ONE HOUR INTO THE TRAINING FLIGHT WHEN HE DECIDED TO DEMONSTRATE A POWER RECOVERY AUTOROTATION.  THE FLIGHT WAS NORMAL UPON ENTERING THE MANEUVER.  DURING THE RECOVERY PORTION OF THE MANEUVER, HE ROLLED ON THE THROTTLE AND BEGAN HIS FLARE WHEN HE NOTICED THAT HIS SINK RATE WAS SOMEWHAT HIGH SO HE DECIDED TO DO A FULL-DOWN INSTEAD OF POSSIBLY OVERTORQUING THE AIRCRAFT TO ARREST THE DESCENT.  HE STATED THAT THE TOUCHDOWN FELT NORMAL.  UPON RETURN TO A HOVER, THE PILOT BEING TRAINED NOTICED A PIECE OF FABRIC WITH THE SAME COLOR AS THEIR AIRCRAFT, BLOW OUT FROM UNDER THE AIRCRAFT.  (THIS WAS LATER DETERMINED TO BE A PIECE OF FIBERGLASS CLOTH THAT THE TAIL BOOM IS MADE FROM.)  THEY DECIDED TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT ON THE PARKING RAMP FOR A PRECAUTIONARY INSPECTION.  UPON DISCOVERING THE DAMAGE TO THE TAIL BOOM, THEY CONTACTED THEIR MAINTENANCE STAFF AND MANAGEMENT FOR FURTHER DIRECTIONS.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS RECOVERED AND TRANSPORTED TO THEIR MAINTENANCE BASE.

## 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 WPR10TA025](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR10TA025), Oct 16, 2009: Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 500N (N521HB), Los Alamitos, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The flight instructor's delayed remedial action during the instructional autorotative landing, which resulted in a failure to maintain an adequate rotor rpm to avoid a hard landing.

## Other reports on N521HB (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20220219001009A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220219001009A), Feb 19, 2022: Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 500N (N521HB), Newport Beach, CA, Substantial damage, 1 fatal. On 02/19/2022, approximately 18:30 pacific standard time, huntington Beach police helicopter, MD500N, N521HB, operating as a public aircraft, responded to a…

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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