What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Minor damage to blade tip caps, and 3 inch scrape approximately 1/16 inch deep on upper left tailboom just forward of tailrotor arc.
According to DPE in the left (pilot)seat, who had just completed CFI initial practical test, during the cooldown period after landing, pilot reached for map case on left side of cockpit from the right seat. When he (pilot) straightened up, he may have introduced an abrupt aft cyclic control while righting himself. Surface winds were gusting at the time. A combination of abrupt cyclic movement, low rotor RPM, and gusting wind may have caused the main rotor to contact the tailboom. Neither pilot recalls anything out of the ordinary during the course of the flight. There is no damage to the skids, tubes, belly, or fuselage structure to indicate a hard landing.
As the FAA filed it
MINOR DAMAGE TO BLADE TIP CAPS, AND 3 INCH SCRAPE APPROXIMATELY 1/16 INCH DEEP ON UPPER LEFT TAILBOOM JUST FORWARD OF TAILROTOR ARC.
ACCORDING TO DPE IN THE LEFT (PILOT)SEAT, WHO HAD JUST COMPLETED CFI INITIAL PRACTICAL TEST, DURING THE COOLDOWN PERIOD AFTER LANDING, PILOT REACHED FOR MAP CASE ON LEFT SIDE OF COCKPIT FROM THE RIGHT SEAT. WHEN HE (PILOT) STRAIGHTENED UP, HE MAY HAVE INTRODUCED AN ABRUPT AFT CYCLIC CONTROL WHILE RIGHTING HIMSELF. SURFACE WINDS WERE GUSTING AT THE TIME. A COMBINATION OF ABRUPT CYCLIC MOVEMENT, LOW ROTOR RPM, AND GUSTING WIND MAY HAVE CAUSED THE MAIN ROTOR TO CONTACT THE TAILBOOM. NEITHER PILOT RECALLS ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY DURING THE COURSE OF THE FLIGHT. THERE IS NO DAMAGE TO THE SKIDS, TUBES, BELLY, OR FUSELAGE STRUCTURE TO INDICATE A HARD LANDING.
Other reports on N9658F · 1
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