What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On October 21, 2016, at about 1455 pacific daylight time (PDT) a Enstrom model 280C, U.S. Registration number N9285 sustained minor damage in the form of a tail rotor strike while practicing a straight-in autorotation
On pad 3, at Long Beach airport (klgb) in Long Beach, California. The pilot in command (PIC) was the sole occupant on board the helicopter at the time of the incident. There were no reported injuries to the PIC at the time of the incident. The flight was operated under the provisions of title 14 code of federal regulations part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed.
In the statement provided by privacy data omitted he states that on final approach he entered into an autorotation from 500 feet at approximately 80 miles per hour (mph). He then established a 60-65 mph descent. He further states the glide angle looked ?good? And he ?aimed for ?the three on pad three?. At approximately 60 feet above the pad he began his flare, pulling back on the cyclic to arrest his descent and reduce airspeed. As the helicopter approached the ground he pulled back on the cyclic to further reduce his airspeed prior to executing a power recovery. privacy data omitted Then states the helicopter ?settled more than anticipated?. He then heard a ?loud noise from the rear of the helicopter?. He immediately leveled the helicopter and entered a hover. At this time the helicopter began rotating to the right. He then landed the helicopter 180 degrees from the direction of his initial travel. He subsequently shut down the engine and looked aft towards the tail of the helicopter and noted the damage to the tail rotor. It appears the helicopter sustained damage to the tail rotor blades only.
Weather service information indicated winds were from 200 degrees at 8 knots; visibility 10 statute miles and skies were reported to be clear. Temperature was 28 degrees c; dew point minus 2.2 degrees c; and altimeter setting at 29.83 inches of mercury. Runway conditions were dry.
As the FAA filed it
ON OCTOBER 21, 2016, AT ABOUT 1455 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME (PDT) A ENSTROM MODEL 280C, U.S. REGISTRATION NUMBER N9285 SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE IN THE FORM OF A TAIL ROTOR STRIKE WHILE PRACTICING A STRAIGHT-IN AUTOROTATION
ON PAD 3, AT LONG BEACH AIRPORT (KLGB) IN LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA. THE PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT ON BOARD THE HELICOPTER AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. THERE WERE NO REPORTED INJURIES TO THE PIC AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. THE FLIGHT WAS OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED.
IN THE STATEMENT PROVIDED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HE STATES THAT ON FINAL APPROACH HE ENTERED INTO AN AUTOROTATION FROM 500 FEET AT APPROXIMATELY 80 MILES PER HOUR (MPH). HE THEN ESTABLISHED A 60-65 MPH DESCENT. HE FURTHER STATES THE GLIDE ANGLE LOOKED ?GOOD? AND HE ?AIMED FOR ?THE THREE ON PAD THREE?. AT APPROXIMATELY 60 FEET ABOVE THE PAD HE BEGAN HIS FLARE, PULLING BACK ON THE CYCLIC TO ARREST HIS DESCENT AND REDUCE AIRSPEED. AS THE HELICOPTER APPROACHED THE GROUND HE PULLED BACK ON THE CYCLIC TO FURTHER REDUCE HIS AIRSPEED PRIOR TO EXECUTING A POWER RECOVERY. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ THEN STATES THE HELICOPTER ?SETTLED MORE THAN ANTICIPATED?. HE THEN HEARD A ?LOUD NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE HELICOPTER?. HE IMMEDIATELY LEVELED THE HELICOPTER AND ENTERED A HOVER. AT THIS TIME THE HELICOPTER BEGAN ROTATING TO THE RIGHT. HE THEN LANDED THE HELICOPTER 180 DEGREES FROM THE DIRECTION OF HIS INITIAL TRAVEL. HE SUBSEQUENTLY SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE AND LOOKED AFT TOWARDS THE TAIL OF THE HELICOPTER AND NOTED THE DAMAGE TO THE TAIL ROTOR. IT APPEARS THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES ONLY.
WEATHER SERVICE INFORMATION INDICATED WINDS WERE FROM 200 DEGREES AT 8 KNOTS; VISIBILITY 10 STATUTE MILES AND SKIES WERE REPORTED TO BE CLEAR. TEMPERATURE WAS 28 DEGREES C; DEW POINT MINUS 2.2 DEGREES C; AND ALTIMETER SETTING AT 29.83 INCHES OF MERCURY. RUNWAY CONDITIONS WERE DRY.
Other reports on N9285 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.