20240409005259A

ON APRIL 9, 2024, AT AROUND 1345Z, AN MD HELICOPTERS ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHILE PRACTICING RAPID DECELERATION/QUICK STOP MANEUVERS TRAINING AT JOSE APONTE DE LA TORRE AIRPORT (TJRV) LOCATED AT CEIBA PUERTO RICO. THE COMMERCIAL RATED PILOT CONDUCTING THE TRAINING (A NON CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR) AND THE COMMERCIAL RATED PILOT RECEIVING THE TRAINING WERE NOT INJURED. THE HELICOPTER WAS OPERATING UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 AS A PRIVATE FLIGHT. THE HELICOPTER DEPARTED LUIS MUNOZ MARIN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (TJSJ), CAROLINA, PUERTO RICO, AT AROUND 1315Z, UNDER VISUAL FLIGHT RULES WITH THE PURPOSE OF COMPANY FLIGHT TRAINING. THE DESTINATION AIRPORT WAS TJRV. THE HELICOPTER INITIALLY LANDED AT THE INTENDED DESTINATION AIRPORT RAMP AREA, WHERE A COMPANY MECHANIC DEPLANED THE HELICOPTER FOR THE FLIGHT CREW TO PRACTICE RAPID DECELERATION MANEUVERS. AFTER LEAVING THE PASSENGER AT THE RAMP AT TJRV, THE FLIGHT CREW CONTINUED TO HOVER TAXI TO THE WEST PORTION OF TAXIWAY A IN A WESTERLY DIRECTION. ACCORDING TO THE FLIGHT CREW, THEY INITIATED THE RAPID DECELERATION PRACTICE MANEUVERS AT TAXIWAY A AT AN PROXIMATE HEIGHT OF 40 TO 50 FEET FROM THE GROUND. THE FLIGHT CREW PERFORMED A TOTAL OF 4 RAPID DECELERATION MANEUVERS ALL IN A WESTERLY DIRECTION AND DOWNWIND. AT THE FOURTH PRACTICE MANEUVER, SPECIFICALLY DURING THE FLARE PORTION OF THE MANEUVER, THE HELICOPTER TAIL ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE GROUND FOLLOWED BY A LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER. THE PILOT WHO WAS CONDUCTING THE TRAINING WAS ABLE TO LAND SOON AFTER THE TAIL ROTOR STRUCK THE GROUND AT ABOUT 75 FEET WEST FROM THE INITIAL TAIL ROTOR IMPACT MARKS, HOWEVER THE HELICOPTER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING THE LANDING. NO MECHANICAL ABNORMALITIES WERE REPORTED BY THE FLIGHT CREW. AT THE ACCIDENT SITE, THE HELICOPTER WAS LOCATED AT THE TJRV TAXIWAY A ADJACENT TO RUNWAY 7 TOUCHDOWN ZONE. THE HELICOPTER LEFT LANDING GEAR WAS FOUND COLLAPSED, THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES WERE DAMAGED WITH BOTH BLADES HAVING A SECTION OF ABOUT 10 INCHES LONG WHICH SEPARATED FROM EACH BLADE. THE TAIL HORIZONTAL STABILIZER WAS DAMAGED BY IMPACT WITH A DEPARTING PORTING THAT SEPARATED FROM THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES. THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVESHAFT WAS SHEERED AND SEPARATED FROM THE REST OF THE SHAFT. THEREFORE, DISCONTINUITY WAS CONFIRMED FROM THE TAIL ROTOR TO MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM. BULGING WAS OBSERVED AT THE LEFT PILOT SEAT BOX STRUCTURE, ALSO INSIDE THE FORWARD LOWER STRUCTURE FRAME AND STRINGERS.

ACCORDING TO THE PILOT WHO WAS PROVIDING THE TRAINING, HE INDICATED THAT WHILE THE OTHER PILOT WAS EXECUTING THE FOURTH RAPID DECELERATION MANEUVER, HE WAS “LIGHT” AT THE CONTROLS UNTIL HE HEARD A LOUD IMPACT SOUND AND THE HELICOPTER STARTED TO YAW TO THE RIGHT. AT THAT POINT, HE INDICATED THAT HE TOOK THE CONTROLS AND LANDED THE HELICOPTER. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT WHO WAS RECEIVING THE FLIGHT TRAINING, HE INDICATED THAT HE WAS “LIGHT” AT THE CONTROLS DURING THE FOURTH RAPID DECELERATION MANEUVER. HE FURTHER STATED THAT THE OTHER PILOT WAS FLYING AND PROVIDING A DEMONSTRATION OF THE MANEUVER. AT THE TIME WHEN HE DESCRIBED AS AN IMPACT SOUND AND VIBRATION, HE RELEASED THE CONTROLS WHILE THE PILOT MANEUVERED TO LAND.

BOTH PILOTS CONCURRED THAT THEY INITIATED THE MANEUVERS WITH A TAIL WIND. AT TJVR, THE PREVAILING WINDS ARE FROM THE EAST. AT 1353Z, THE WINDS METAR REPORT WAS 060 DEGREES, 10 KNOTS, GUSTING 16 KNOTS.