# NTSB FTW03LA147: Bell 206B, N81519, Hurst, TX, May 7, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 7, 2003, 10:25 local (15:25 UTC) - Place: Hurst, TX - Coordinates: 32.007778, -97.017219 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.0078&lon=-97.0172&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 26, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration (FSDO), Bell Helicopter Textron - NTSB case key (mKey): 56960 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW03LA147 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/56960/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW03LA147 ## Probable cause The improper flare by the pilot receiving instruction, which resulted in the hard landing. A contributing factor was the flight instructor's inadequate supervision. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - emergency procedure - simulated, dual student - flare - improper, dual student (cause) - supervision - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (contributing factor) - misc rotorcraft,tail boom - buckled ## Analysis The flight instructor demonstrated an out of ground effect (OGE) autorotation from 500 feet agl and 0 knots. The pilot receiving instruction was then requested to perform an OGE autorotation from 500 feet agl and 0 knots. During the pilot's second OGE autorotation, he "rolled the throttle off and moved the cyclic slightly forward." The airspeed did not climb above 45 knots and an excessive rate of descent was encountered. The pilot used almost no cyclic to flare the helicopter; however, he pulled "all collective available" prior to touchdown. The helicopter touched down hard. ## Factual narrative On May 7, 2003, at 1025 central daylight time, a Bell 206B helicopter, N81519, was substantially damaged during a hard landing at the Bell Helicopter Auxiliary Heliport (Flight Training Strip), Hurst, Texas. The helicopter was registered to Textron Financial Corporation, of Wichita, Kansas, and was operated by Bell Helicopter Textron, of Fort Worth, Texas. The flight instructor and the pilot receiving instruction (who held a commercial-rotorcraft pilot certificate that was issued in Israel) were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The local flight originated from the Bell Helicopter Hurst Heliport, Hurst, Texas, at 0955. According to both pilots, the flight instructor demonstrated an out of ground effect (OGE) autorotation from 500 feet agl and 0 knots. The pilot receiving instruction was then requested to perform an OGE autorotation from 500 feet agl and 0 knots. During the pilot's second OGE autorotation, he "rolled the throttle off and moved the cyclic slightly forward." The airspeed did not climb above 45 knots and an "excessive rate of descent" was encountered. The pilot used almost no cyclic to flare the helicopter; however, he pulled "all collective available" prior to touchdown. The helicopter touched down hard wrinkling the tailboom. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N81519](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N81519), registered now, S/N 4498, built 1998 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Bell 206B - Registry model: [Bell 206B](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206b) (registry code 1181511) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Allison 250-C20 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c20-series) (registry code 03020, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 4498 - Airframe hours: 2019.1 - Engines: Allison 250-C20J 420 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Bell Helicopter Textron, doing business as N/A - Registered owner: Textron Financial Corporation - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 15, 2003, 25 hours before - Departed: 0TE2, Hurst, TX - Airport: 6TA8, Bell Helicopter Aux Heliport, runway 36, 2,200 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 45; injuries: none; airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter, airplane; medical: class 2; last flight review May 3, 2001; seat: left; flight hours: 6,299 total, 4,000 in this make and model, 5,095 as pilot in command, 95 in the last 90 days, 37 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours - Pilot; age 38; injuries: none; commercial; medical: class 1, unknown; seat: right; flight hours: 2,400 total, 300 in this make and model, 60 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F - Altimeter: 29.86 inHg ## 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 20030507011379A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030507011379A), May 7, 2003: Bell 206B, Hurst, TX, Substantial damage. (-23) On may 07, 2003, at 1024 local, a BHT-206B, N81519, owned by Textron financial corp, c/o Cessna finance corp, 220 west Douglas suite 300, wichita, KS… 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.