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20240930015339A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 369E · Manvel, TX · September 30, 2024

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
September 30, 2024 · 11:40 local
Place
Manvel, TX
Airport
Wolfe Airpark
Phase of flight
Other, Specify
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N8372F
NTSB investigation
NTSBCEN24LA377
Reported as
Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter 369E
Reported engine
Allison 250-C20 series
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
1,119 in this make and model
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.

During 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 that the power was being rolled off and the pilot at the controls (PIC) entered the autorotation. The CFI announced that power was coming back in as the aircraft reached flare altitude. The pilot at the controls (PIC) then entered the flare. The flare was held in as the aircraft descended. The tail struck the ground and caused the aircraft to bound back into the air. The aircraft then began to spin to the right while traveling down the grass strip. The power was then rolled off and the crew performed an autorotation from a hover. The aircraft rotated approximately 270 degrees before the final touchdown. The pilot at the controls (PIC) then shut down the aircraft. No injuries to either crew member. Verbal counceling recommended for both pilots.

As the FAA filed it

DURING 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 THAT THE POWER WAS BEING ROLLED OFF AND THE PILOT AT THE CONTROLS (PIC) ENTERED THE AUTOROTATION. THE CFI ANNOUNCED THAT POWER WAS COMING BACK IN AS THE AIRCRAFT REACHED FLARE ALTITUDE. THE PILOT AT THE CONTROLS (PIC) THEN ENTERED THE FLARE. THE FLARE WAS HELD IN AS THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED. THE TAIL STRUCK THE GROUND AND CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO BOUND BACK INTO THE AIR. THE AIRCRAFT THEN BEGAN TO SPIN TO THE RIGHT WHILE TRAVELING DOWN THE GRASS STRIP. THE POWER WAS THEN ROLLED OFF AND THE CREW PERFORMED AN AUTOROTATION FROM A HOVER. THE AIRCRAFT ROTATED APPROXIMATELY 270 DEGREES BEFORE THE FINAL TOUCHDOWN. THE PILOT AT THE CONTROLS (PIC) THEN SHUT DOWN THE AIRCRAFT. NO INJURIES TO EITHER CREW MEMBER. VERBAL COUNCELING RECOMMENDED FOR BOTH PILOTS.

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 CEN24LA377Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportManvel, TXThe pilot’s improper recovery from a practice autorotation which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the instructor’s inadequate supervision of the pilot receiving instruction.Sep 30, 2024 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N8372F · 2

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

Accident 20230907010599AHouston, TXPIC 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'…Sep 7, 2023 · 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