- Date
- July 22, 1991, 12:25 local (17:25 UTC)
- Place
- Slidell, LA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N312SHBell 47G-2
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910722029079A
- Case key
- 23368
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 performing a touchdown autorotation to unsuitable terrain. Factors were the soft terrain and the inadequate supervision by the FAA inspector.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot initiated the autorotation at approximately 500 feet and 60 knots. The pilot and the FAA check airman stated the main rotor RPM was in the 'low green' range. A partial loss of control was experienced in the flare resulting in the right skid sinking several inches into the wet grassy terrin. The helicopter skidded approximately 15 feet, coming to rest in a nose-low left bank attitude. The main rotors struck the tailboom, severing it. The pilot stated he had informed the check airman the grass was wet. The autorotation to touchdown was not a required maneuver, nor was it prohibited. The check airman did not intervene during the conduct of the autorotation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N312SH
- Reported as
- Bell 47G-2
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1375
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435-A1B, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Sunrise Helicopters, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Sunrise Helicopters, Inc.
- Airport
- 6R0 · Slidell
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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 40
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 3,230 total · 397 in this make and model · 3,044 as pilot in command · 112 in the last 90 days · 49 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 10° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.