- Date
- March 1, 2012, 12:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Eufaula, AL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Emergency descent
- Aircraft
- N38FABell OH-58A
- Defining event
- Autorotation: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 18, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20120301003829A
- Case key
- 83005
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 inadequate compensation for the gusting wind, which resulted in an excessive descent rate and hard landing.
Findings · 3
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 pilot reported that he was conducting annual refresher training with a certified flight instructor. During a practice autorotation to runway 18, the helicopter descended below a nearby tree line and then suddenly dropped. He stated that the helicopter descended so rapidly that he was unable to arrest the descent rate and the helicopter landed hard. The pilot reported that the wind was from 230 degrees at 10 knots with gusts to 19 knots at the time of the accident. He reported that, as the helicopter descended below treetop level, "…we lost all lift and wind advantage." The hard landing resulted in a fractured tail boom. The pilots reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he was conducting annual refresher training with a certified flight instructor. During a practice autorotation to runway 18, the helicopter descended below a nearby tree line and "dropped vertically." He stated that the helicopter descended so rapidly that he was unable to arrest the descent rate and the helicopter landed hard. The pilot reported the winds from 230 degrees at 10 knots with gusts to 19 knots at the time of the accident. He reported that, as the helicopter descended below treetop level, "…we lost all lift and wind advantage…" The hard landing resulted in a fractured tail boom. The pilots reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N38FA
- Reported as
- Bell OH-58A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 70-15448
- Airframe hours
- 7,706
- Engine
- Rolls Royce T63-A720, 420 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- B & S Air Inc
- Registered owner
- B & S Air Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special); Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · October 21, 2011
- Departed
- EUF · Eufaula, AL
- Destination
- EUF · Eufaula, AL
- Airport
- EUF · Weedon Field Airport, 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 65
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 19, 2011
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 23,155 total · 14,000 in this make and model · 22,000 as pilot in command
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 56
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 17, 2011
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 25,000 total · 8,000 in this make and model · 24,950 as pilot in command · 240 in the last 90 days · 80 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 7 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- EUF
Docket · 6
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 24, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.6 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.
Other investigations on N38FA · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.