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20100925046309A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Bell 47G-3B-1 · Gaston, OR · September 25, 2010

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
September 25, 2010 · 19:00 local
Place
Gaston, OR
Phase of flight
Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules
Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator
GJDL
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N7860S
NTSB investigation
NTSBWPR10CA470
Reported as
Bell 47G-3B-1
Reported engine
Allison 250 series
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
3,500 total2,000 in this make and model200 in the last 90 days
N7860SRegistered now · Bell 47G-3B-1S/N 6627Airframe modelBell 47G-3B-1Engine modelAllison 250 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.

The pilot stated "I was in the process of landing N8760S on the trailer used for over the road transportation of the helicopter. I placed the landing skids on the trailer and lowered the collective to the full down position. The helicopter abruptly tilted aft on the skid heals. I immediately applied up collective. The helicopter at that point started to rotate to the right and I was unable to counter the rotation with left anti torque peddle. I immediately closed the throttle to counter the rotation. The helicopter rotated one hundred and eighty degrees to the right when it contacted the left side of the trailer and came to a full stop." Inspection revealed that uncommanded rotation of the helicopter was a result of the tail rotor damage that occurred when the tail rotor struck the trailer. Pilot is very experienced in this type of operation with over 2000 hours in the same make and model. It was indicated to the iic that the poi from seattle FSDO had counseled the airman on aeronautical decision making as it relates to this type of operation the day after the accident.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT STATED "I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF LANDING N8760S ON THE TRAILER USED FOR OVER THE ROAD TRANSPORTATION OF THE HELICOPTER. I PLACED THE LANDING SKIDS ON THE TRAILER AND LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE TO THE FULL DOWN POSITION. THE HELICOPTER ABRUPTLY TILTED AFT ON THE SKID HEALS. I IMMEDIATELY APPLIED UP COLLECTIVE. THE HELICOPTER AT THAT POINT STARTED TO ROTATE TO THE RIGHT AND I WAS UNABLE TO COUNTER THE ROTATION WITH LEFT ANTI TORQUE PEDDLE. I IMMEDIATELY CLOSED THE THROTTLE TO COUNTER THE ROTATION. THE HELICOPTER ROTATED ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY DEGREES TO THE RIGHT WHEN IT CONTACTED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE TRAILER AND CAME TO A FULL STOP." INSPECTION REVEALED THAT UNCOMMANDED ROTATION OF THE HELICOPTER WAS A RESULT OF THE TAIL ROTOR DAMAGE THAT OCCURRED WHEN THE TAIL ROTOR STRUCK THE TRAILER. PILOT IS VERY EXPERIENCED IN THIS TYPE OF OPERATION WITH OVER 2000 HOURS IN THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL. IT WAS INDICATED TO THE IIC THAT THE POI FROM SEATTLE FSDO HAD COUNSELED THE AIRMAN ON AERONAUTICAL DECISION MAKING AS IT RELATES TO THIS TYPE OF OPERATION THE DAY AFTER THE ACCIDENT.

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 WPR10CA470Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportGaston, ORThe pilot's failure to maintain tail rotor clearance while landing on a transport trailer positioned on an uneven surface.Sep 26, 2010 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N7860S · 1

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

Accident 19771220038559AFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · Billings, MTAttmtd autorotation due loud noise. Collective was inop. Wrong transmission installed.Dec 20, 1977 · Destroyed