# NTSB FTW00LA145: Bell 47G, N14408, San Antonio, TX, May 9, 2000

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: May 9, 2000, 17:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place: San Antonio, TX
- Coordinates: 29.320545, -98.469802 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.3205&lon=-98.4698&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report November 29, 2000
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 49203
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW00LA145
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/49203/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW00LA145

## Probable cause

The improper touchdown performed by the flight instructor.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Nose down, landing - roll
  - autorotation - performed, pilot in command(cfi)
  - touchdown - improper, pilot in command(cfi) (cause)
  - misc rotorcraft,main rotor/tail boom contact

## Analysis

During a touchdown autorotation, which the flight instructor was demonstrating, the helicopter touched down with forward movement.  As the helicopter was sliding along the ground, it suddenly stopped and went up onto the toes of the skids before settling back onto the skids.  During the event, the main rotor blades struck the tailboom forward of the tailrotor area and severed the tailboom

## Factual narrative

On May 9, 2000, at 1730 central daylight time, a Bell 47G helicopter, N14408, was substantially damaged when it nosed down during a practice autorotation at the Stinson Municipal Airport near San Antonio, Texas.  The helicopter was owned by Stinson Flight Center, LLC, and operated by Stinson Air Center, LLC, under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.  The commercial pilot and the pilot rated student were not injured.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local instructional flight, and a flight plan was not filed.  The flight originated at the Stinson Municipal Airport, at 1700.

During a touchdown autorotation, which the flight instructor was demonstrating, the helicopter touched down with forward movement.  As the helicopter was sliding along the ground, it suddenly stopped and went up on the toes of the skids before settling back onto the skids.  During the event, the main rotor blades struck the tailboom forward of the tailrotor area and severed the tailboom.  The operator reported that both main rotor blades, the front skid crossboom, the tailrotor gearbox, and both tailrotor blades sustained damage.

The FAA inspector who examined the accident site, reported that the grass area north of runway 9 had minute indentations.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N14408 (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: Bell 47G
- Category: Helicopter
- Serial number: 988
- Airframe hours: 710
- Engines: Lycoming VO-435-A1 260 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Stinson Air Center LLC
- Registered owner: Stinson Flight Center, LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, May 7, 2000
- Departed: SSF
- Airport: SSF, Stinson Municipal

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 38; flight instructor, commercial, private; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: right; flight hours: 1,745 total, 350 in this make and model, 1,435 as pilot in command, 105 in the last 90 days, 30 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: SSF

## 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 20000509014449A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000509014449A), May 9, 2000: Bell 47G, San Antonio, TX, Substantial damage. (-23) Attached NTSB: FTW00LA145 (.4)during a touchdown autorotation, which the flight instructor was demonstrating, the helicopter touched down with forward…

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.