# NTSB CEN25LA084: Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 505, N1243Y, Lago Vista, TX, November 11, 2024

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: November 11, 2024, 10:50 local (16:50 UTC)
- Place: Lago Vista, TX
- Coordinates: 30.498583, -97.969472 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.4986&lon=-97.9695&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Emergency descent](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/600) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Autorotation: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 3 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 199574
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN25LA084
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/199574/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=199574
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA084

## Probable cause

The flight instructor’s improper recovery from a practice autorotation which resulted in a hard landing.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Performance/control parameters: powerplant parameters](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062050): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Incorrect use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 505, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062050/cases.md?model=1182165), [All aircraft, 81 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062050/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Approach: Simulated/training event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/600); cases with it: [Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 505, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/600/sequence.md?model=1182165), [All aircraft, 173 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/600/sequence.md)
- [Autorotation: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 505, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=1182165), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md)

## Analysis

While conducting an instructional flight, the flight instructor reported that he and the student pilot were practicing straight-in autorotation approaches in the helicopter with a power recovery. The helicopter was configured with a throttle control switch rather than a twistable throttle control. During the fifth autorotation approach, the flight instructor forgot to move the throttle control from “Idle” to “Fly” prior to flaring the helicopter. The helicopter descended and landed hard on the runway. During the hard landing, the helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tailboom. The flight instructor reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures that contributed to the accident.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N1243Y](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1243Y), registered now, S/N 65137, built 2018 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON CANADA 505
- Registry model: [Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 505](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-helicopter-textron-canada-505) (registry code 1182165) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Safran ARRIUS-2R](https://openairdocs.org/engine/safran-arrius-2r) (registry code 59992, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Helicopter
- Serial number: 65137
- Year built: 2018
- Airframe hours: 366.4
- Engines: Safran Arrius 2R 492 horsepower turbo shaft
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Registered owner: Turbines Ltd
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, October 10, 2024
- Airport: RYW, Lago Vista Tx/Rusty Allen, runway 33, 3,800 × 50 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, ADS-B, Electronic multifunction display

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 53; injuries: none; airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review August 15, 2024; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 9,160 total, 83.8 in this make and model, 6,000 as pilot in command, 150 in the last 90 days, 80 in the last 30 days, 4.4 in the last 24 hours
- Student pilot; age 42; injuries: none; student; seat: right; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 120 total, 7.3 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 360° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 77 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observed at: KRYW

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20241111019889A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20241111019889A), Nov 11, 2024: Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 505, Lago Vista, TX, Substantial damage. On November 11, 2024, at 1030 hours, a Bell 505 helicopter encountered an accident during autorotation training at Rusty Allen airport (ryw) in Lago Vista,…

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 12, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=199574. 6.4 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 6.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18238003&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Form%206120%20CEN25LA084_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Investigative photo (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 1 photo, 194 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18238730&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=cen25la084%20photo-Rel.pdf

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.

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