- Date
- May 31, 2012, 08:30 local (12:30 UTC)
- Place
- Titusville, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Emergency descent
- Aircraft
- N1803RSchweizer 269C-1
- Defining event
- Autorotation: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 26, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20120531011259A
- Case key
- 83811
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 flight instructor’s inadequate supervision and delayed remedial action during a simulated engine-out procedure, which resulted in a 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
According to the flight instructor, during the helicopter instructional flight, he simulated an engine failure. During the descent, the engine rpm began to decrease. As the helicopter approached the intended landing area, the student pilot raised the collective, which further decreased the rotor rpm. The flight instructor lowered the collective and increased the throttle; the helicopter touched down hard, bounced, landed and rolled onto its left side, which resulted in substantial damage to the tailboom. A postaccident examination revealed no preexisting mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Additionally, neither pilot reported any mechanical malfunctions with the helicopter.
Factual narrative
According to the certificated flight instructor (CFI), during the helicopter instructional flight, a simulated engine failure maneuver was being performed. During the descent, the engine rpm began to decrease. The anticipated approach path to the landing area required the helicopter to overfly trees. As the helicopter approached the intended landing area, the student pilot raised the collective, which further decreased the rotor rpm. The CFI lowered the collective and increased the throttle; the helicopter landed hard, bounced, landed a second time, and rolled onto its left side, which resulted in substantial damage to the tailboom. A postaccident investigation revealed no preexisting mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Additionally, neither pilot reported any mechanical malfunctions with the helicopter.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1803R
- Reported as
- Schweizer 269C-1
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0298
- Airframe hours
- 2,907
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360-G1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Bristow Academy Inc
- Registered owner
- Bristow Academy Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 2, 2012
- Departed
- TIX · Titusville, FL
- Destination
- TIX · Titusville, FL
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Airport
- TIX · Space Coast Regional Airport
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
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 52
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 29, 2012
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 7,616 total · 2,874 in this make and model · 6,287 as pilot in command · 102 in the last 90 days · 13 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 34
- Injuries
- None
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 61 total · 61 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 4 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Observed at
- TIX, 5 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 7, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.6 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.