- Date
- July 11, 2002, 21:00 local (Jul 12, 2002, 02:00 UTC)
- Place
- Hamilton, AL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N911LHHughes HU-269-A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 30, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration Birmingham FSDO
- FAA report
- 20020711016929A
- Case key
- 55214
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's improper use of flight controls that resulted in an improper flare and a hard landing during a practice autorotation. A factor was the loss of rotor rpm.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
According to the flight instructor, the intent of the flight was to demonstrate emergency procedures. The flight instructor demonstrated several traffic patterns and approaches. The flight instructor stated that while demonstrating an autorotation he allowed the rotor rpm to deteriorate, the helicopter lost lift, and subsequently collided with the ground.
Factual narrative
On July 11, 2002, at 2100 central daylight time, a Hughes HU-269-A, N911LH, registered to Palmer Adam, and operated by the flight instructor, collided with the ground during autorotation, at the Marion Co-Fite Airport in Hamilton, Alabama. The instructional flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The flight instructor and student pilot reported no injuries, and the helicopter was substantially damaged. The flight departed Marion Co-Fite airport at 1810, on July 11, 2002.
According to the flight instructor, the intent of the flight was to demonstrate emergency procedures. The flight instructor demonstrated several traffic patterns and approaches. The flight instructor stated that while demonstrating an autorotation he allowed the rotor rpm to deteriorate, the helicopter lost lift, and subsequently collided with the ground.
Examination of the wreckage found that the main rotor blades collided with the tailboom, and the tailboom and skids separated from the airframe. The pilot reported no mechanical problems with the helicopter prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N911LH
- Reported as
- Hughes HU-269-A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1270737
- Airframe hours
- 4,845.5
- Engine
- Lycoming HI0360BIA, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Adam Palmer
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 1, 2002 · 33.4 hours before
- Departed
- HAB · Hamilton, AL
- Destination
- HAB · Hamilton, AL
- Airport
- HAB · Marrion County, runway 18, 5,000 × 100 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 39
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 18, 2001
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,400 total · 1,000 in this make and model · 1,330 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.30 inHg
- Observed at
- ANB, 40 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 4, 2003, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 289 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.