20150729023209A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Eurocopter AS 350 B2 ECUREUIL · Tucson, AZ · July 29, 2015

Date: July 29, 2015 · 16:49 local
Place: Tucson, AZ
Airport: Ryan Airfield
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator: UM8M
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N6095U
NTSB investigation: NTSBGAA15CA204
Reported as: Eurocopter AS 350 B2 Ecureuil
Reported engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL-1SER
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,500 total200 in this make and model31 in the last 90 days

N6095URegistration cancelled Jan 8, 2022 · Eurocopter AS 350 B2 ECUREUILS/N 2699 · Built 1993 Airframe modelEurocopter AS 350 B2 ECUREUIL Engine modelTurbomeca ARRIEL-1SERTurbo-shaft

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.

Instructor was demonstrating auto-rotation technique to pilot over rwy 24R at ryn. During the procedure the instructor was not able to arrest descent and aircraft impacted runway. The aircraft became airborne and rotated to the right. Ground contact was made again tail low and the tail boom seperated. Aircraft came to rest after a 360 turn to the left.

As the FAA filed it

INSTRUCTOR WAS DEMONSTRATING AUTO-ROTATION TECHNIQUE TO PILOT OVER RWY 24R AT RYN. DURING THE PROCEDURE THE INSTRUCTOR WAS NOT ABLE TO ARREST DESCENT AND AIRCRAFT IMPACTED RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT BECAME AIRBORNE AND ROTATED TO THE RIGHT. GROUND CONTACT WAS MADE AGAIN TAIL LOW AND THE TAIL BOOM SEPERATED. AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST AFTER A 360 TURN TO THE LEFT.

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 GAA15CA204Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportTucson, AZThe flight instructor's misperception of the helicopter's altitude in relation to the runway surface during a low altitude maneuver, resulting in ground impact.Jul 29, 2015 · Substantial damage