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20230907010599A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 369E · Houston, TX · September 7, 2023

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
September 7, 2023 · 12:00 local
Place
Houston, TX
Airport
Houston Southwest Airport
Phase of flight
Other, Specify
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N8372F
NTSB investigation
NTSBCEN23LA404
Reported as
Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 369E
Reported engine
Allison 250-C20 series
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificates
Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
4,114 total87 in the last 90 days
N8372FRegistered now · Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 369ES/N 0488E · Built 1991Airframe modelMcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 369EEngine modelAllison 250-C20 seriesTurbo-prop

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.

PIC was giving an evaluation flight at kaxh. After several takeoffs and landings to rwy 27 the PIC initiated power recovery autorotations to rwy 27. The crew had completed three autorotations and were setting up for the fourth power recovery auto from 800' AGL and 80KTS. Prior to initiating the maneuver the PIC completed a cockpit brief stating the parameters of the maneuver. While setting up for the maneuver the PIC saw another aircraft taxi to the hold short of rwy 27. The SIC made a radio call on CTAF to notify all aircraft that they were short final rwy 27. The PIC then initated the maneuver. SIC executed the maneuver with an intended landing spot abeam the hold short aircraft. SIC initiated the autoration flare and the rotor RPM went high. The PIC pulled power to control the high RPM at which time the PIC realized he failed to return the throttles to full open in the flare. The SIC leveled the aircraft and landed hard on rwy 27 due to the low rotor RPM causing the rotor blade to impact the tail boom of the aircraft.

As the FAA filed it

PIC WAS GIVING AN EVALUATION FLIGHT AT KAXH. AFTER SEVERAL TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS TO RWY 27 THE PIC INITIATED POWER RECOVERY AUTOROTATIONS TO RWY 27. THE CREW HAD COMPLETED THREE AUTOROTATIONS AND WERE SETTING UP FOR THE FOURTH POWER RECOVERY AUTO FROM 800' AGL AND 80KTS. PRIOR TO INITIATING THE MANEUVER THE PIC COMPLETED A COCKPIT BRIEF STATING THE PARAMETERS OF THE MANEUVER. WHILE SETTING UP FOR THE MANEUVER THE PIC SAW ANOTHER AIRCRAFT TAXI TO THE HOLD SHORT OF RWY 27. THE SIC MADE A RADIO CALL ON CTAF TO NOTIFY ALL AIRCRAFT THAT THEY WERE SHORT FINAL RWY 27. THE PIC THEN INITATED THE MANEUVER. SIC EXECUTED THE MANEUVER WITH AN INTENDED LANDING SPOT ABEAM THE HOLD SHORT AIRCRAFT. SIC INITIATED THE AUTORATION FLARE AND THE ROTOR RPM WENT HIGH. THE PIC PULLED POWER TO CONTROL THE HIGH RPM AT WHICH TIME THE PIC REALIZED HE FAILED TO RETURN THE THROTTLES TO FULL OPEN IN THE FLARE. THE SIC LEVELED THE AIRCRAFT AND LANDED HARD ON RWY 27 DUE TO THE LOW ROTOR RPM CAUSING THE ROTOR BLADE TO IMPACT THE TAIL BOOM OF THE AIRCRAFT.

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 CEN23LA404Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportArcola, TXThe instructor’s failure to re-apply engine power during a power recovery after a practice autorotation which resulted in a hard landing.Sep 7, 2023 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N8372F · 2

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 20240930015339AManvel, TXDuring an evaluation/check-ride flight on 30 September 2024. The pilot under evaluation who was the PIC was at the controls performing a practice autorotation to a grass strip. The crew had performed several practice autorotations prior. The CFI announced…Sep 30, 2024 · Substantial damageIncident 20090505009499ICruise/Level Flight · Houston, TX(-23) Returning to base following a routine air patrol, the pilot and passenger heard a loud bang followed by complete loss of engine power. A autorotation was successfully completed with minimal damage to the right skid gear aft vertical support and the…May 5, 2009 · Minor damage