- Date
- May 6, 2010, 12:20 local (16:20 UTC)
- Place
- West Palm Beach, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Emergency descent
- Aircraft
- N5189KHughes 500
- Defining event
- Autorotation: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 7, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20100506033189A
- Case key
- 75956
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 commercial pilot's improper flare during a simulated autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The certificated commercial helicopter pilot reported that he was practicing autorotations with a certificated flight instructor (CFI). The CFI stated that the first autorotation "went well," and ended with a "nice cushioned landing." During the second autorotation, the commercial pilot flared 100 feet above the ground and applied cyclic control to cushion the landing. The helicopter "settled abruptly," impacted the taxiway firmly, and bounced. A main rotor blade struck and partially severed the tail boom. No preaccident mechanical anomalies were noted with the helicopter.
Factual narrative
The certificated commercial helicopter pilot reported that he was practicing autorotations with a certificated flight instructor (CFI). The CFI stated that the first autorotation "went well," and ended with a "nice cushioned landing." During the second autorotation, the commercial pilot flared 100 feet above the ground, and applied cyclic control to cushion the landing. The helicopter "settled abruptly," impacted the taxiway firmly, and bounced. A main rotor blade struck and partially severed the tail boom. No pre-accident mechanical anomalies were noted with the helicopter. The flight instructor had accumulated 1,660 hours of total flight experience, which included 6 hours in the same make and model as the accident helicopter. The commercial pilot had accumulated 750 hours of total flight experience, which included 345 hours in the same make and model as the accident helicopter.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5189K
- Reported as
- Hughes 500 (E)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0095E
- Airframe hours
- 5,902
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20, 278 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- County of Gwinnett Georgia
- Registered owner
- County of Gwinnett Georgia
- Airworthiness certificate
- Unknown
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 1, 2010
- Departed
- F45 · West Palm Beach, FL
- Destination
- F45 · West Palm Beach, FL
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- F45 · North Palm Beach County, runway 26R, 3,700 × 75 ft, concrete
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 40
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 749 total · 345 in this make and model
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 45
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,260 total · 6 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PBI, 12 nm away
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 19, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.4 MB 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.