# Accident 20211202019209A: Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 369E, Chesterfield, MO, December 2, 2021

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 2, 2021, 12:50 local time
- Place: Chesterfield, MO
- Airport: Spirit Of St. Louis
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: S54M
- Location: 38.6621° N, 90.6521° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.6621&lon=-90.6521&mi=10
- Aircraft: N911PH, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N911PH) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 369E (registry code 3027369, https://openairdocs.org/model/mcdonnell-douglas-helicopter-369e) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG (registry code 99999, https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MCDONNELL DOUGLAS HELICOPTER 369E
- Reported engine: ALLISON 250-C20B
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,251 total, 1,074 in this make and model, 77 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN22LA063](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA063) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20211202019209A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

THE PILOT WAS RETURNING TO THE AIRPORT AFTER PATROL AND WAS PRACTICING AN AUTO-ROTATION ON RUNWAY 26L. AT THE BOTTOM OF THE AUTO-ROTATION, THE PILOT STARTED THE FLARE TO SLOW THE HELICOPTER AND THEN MADE THE INITIAL COLLECTIVE PULL TO SLOW THE DESCENT. THE HELICOPTER LEVELED OFF AND THE PILOT CONTINUED TO PULL COLLECTIVE. THE PILOT THEN REALIZED THAT HE HAD FORGOTTEN TO ADD THROTTLE AND EXPERIENCED A HARD LANDING. THE TAIL BOOM CONTACTED THE GROUND AND WAS FORCED UP INTO THE PATH OF THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES. THIS SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM. THE HELICOPTER REMAINED UPRIGHT ON ITS SKIDS.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN22LA063](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA063), Dec 2, 2021: Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 369E (N911PH), St. Louis, MO, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to apply power during the recovery procedure for the practice autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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