20131228024809A

ON DECEMBER 28, 2013 AT APPROXIMATELY 08:35 HOURS LOCAL (13:35Z) A SCHWEIZER 269C (HELICOPTER), S/N S1820 REGISTRATION N2056J, WAS CONDUCTING AUTO-ROTATION (POWER RECOVERY) PRACTICE WITH ONE (1) CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, AND ONE (1) STUDENT PILOT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN LEFT TRAFFIC FOR RWY 29 AT KHPN CONDUCTING 180 DEGREE PATTERN TURNS TO THE LEFT. THE AIRCRAFT HAD COMPLETED TWO (2) SUCCESSFUL PRACTICE AUTO-ROTATIONS WITH THE STUDENT PILOT AT THE CONTROLS. ON THE THIRD (3RD) AUTO-ROTATION, THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WAS AT THE CONTROLS DEMONSTRATING THE AUTO-ROTATION. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD (TAIL LOW) ON THE FAR RIGHT SIDE OF RWY 29 BETWEEN FOXTROT AND LIMA TAXIWAYS WEST OF RWY 16-34. THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND ON ITS LEFT SIDE, IN THE GRASS AREA BETWEEN RWY 29, FOXTROT AND LIMA TAXIWAYS WEST OF RWY 16-34.

THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND THE STUDENT PILOT EVACUATED THE AIRCRAFT UNASSISTED, SUSTAINING ONLY MINOR INJURIES. THEY WERE TRANSPORTED TO GREENWICH HOSPITAL AS A PRECAUTION, REPORTING MINOR INJURIES. BOTH WERE TREATED AND RELEASED. THE STUDENT PILOT WENT HOME AND THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT FOR FURTHER QUESTIONING AND STATEMENTS.

THE CFI AND PIC OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ OF 45 WILLIAMSBURG CIRCLE, GUILFORD , CT 06437-2017. FAA PILOT CERTIFICATE, COMMERCIAL ROTORCRAFT-HELICOPTER NO. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR ROTORCRAFT-HELICOPTER NO. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, DOB 03/09/1993. FAA 2ND CLASS MEDICAL 06/03/2013

THE STUDENT PILOT OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. FAA STUDENT PILOT CERTIFICATE^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DOB 03/28/1997 (A MINOR IN AGE)

THE CFI STATED HE STARTED HIS DAY AT WESTCHESTER AIRPORT, NY, AT 07:30 HOURS, HE CONDUCTED A PREFLIGHT INSPECTION AND FOUND NO DISCREPANCIES. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED FOR THE FOXTROT PAD MANEUVERS AT THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY AIRPORT. THE CFI STATED THAT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN LEFT HAND TRAFFIC FOR RWY 29. THE FLIGHT CREW WAS PRACTICING 180 DEGREE AUTO-ROTATIONS TO A POWER RECOVERY. PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT THE CFI WAS DEMONSTRATING. THE CFI HAD THE FLIGHT CONTROLS FROM THE LAST AUTO ROTATION TO ABOUT 1,000 FEET AGL IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. AT 60 KTS AND ABEAM THE POINT OF INTENDED LANDING THE CFI ANNOUNCED ?AUTO-ROTATION? AND ENTERED THE AUTO?ROTATION TURN TO THE LEFT. THE CFI STATED THAT THE WINDS AT THE SURFACE WERE CALM, AND INITIAL AIRSPEED TO THE APPROACH WAS NORMAL. WHILE IN THE DESCENT, DURING THE LAST 100 FEET, THE AIRSPEED STARTED TO BLEED OFF SIGNIFICANTLY, THE INSTRUCTOR PUSHED FORWARD ON THE CYCLIC, AND PITCHED THE AIRCRAFT OVER TO INCREASE THE AIRSPEED. AT THIS POINT, THE CFI REALIZED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS AT A LOW ALTITUDE, AND PULLED AFT ON THE CYCLIC TO ARREST DESCENT AND BEGIN A FLARE. THE FLARE WAS STARTED AT APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET AGL, AND THE COLLECTIVE WAS INCREASED TO ARREST THE DESCENT. THE CFI STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED THE GROUND, TAIL LOW AND VERY HARD CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO BOUNCE 5-10 FEET AGL. AT THIS POINT, THE AIRCRAFT STARTED A RIGHT-HAND SPIN AND STARTED TO CLIMB. THE CFI TRIED TO PUSH THE LEFT ANTI-TORQUE PEDAL, BUT COULD NOT MOVE IT OR ARREST THE RIGHT-HAND SPIN. THE CFI FURTHER STATED THAT HE DID NOT ROLL THE THROTTLE OFF AS HE TRIED TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT SPUN TO THE RIGHT, ROLLED, AND LANDED ON ITS LEFT SIDE IN THE GRASS AREA.