- Date
- May 5, 2015, 17:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Morganton, NC
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N7089SHughes TH 55
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Tailstrike
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 8, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20150505006029A
- Case key
- 91134
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 delayed flare during a simulated auto rotation, which resulted in a tail rotor strike and rollover.
Findings · 2
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
During a local flight a flight instructor and pilot receiving instruction remained in the traffic pattern to practice simulated auto rotations. The flight instructor reported that he was demonstrating a straight-in auto rotation with a full touchdown landing. He stated he flared too late, the tail rotor blades impacted the ground and the tail rotor assembly separated. Subsequently, the helicopter skidded on the grass and rolled over on its left side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and the tail boom. The flight instructor and pilot receiving instruction reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
During a local flight a flight instructor and pilot receiving instruction remained in the traffic pattern to practice simulated auto rotations. The flight instructor reported that he was demonstrating a straight-in auto rotation with a full touchdown landing. He stated he flared too late, the tail rotor blades impacted the ground and the tail rotor assembly separated. Subsequently, the helicopter skidded on the grass and rolled over on its left side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and the tail boom. The flight instructor and pilot receiving instruction reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7089S
- Reported as
- Hughes TH 55 (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 67-16817
- Built
- 1969
- Airframe hours
- 12,891.6
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360-B1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 24, 2015
- Departed
- MRN · Morganton, NC
- Destination
- MRN · Morganton, NC
- Airport
- MRN · Foothills Regional
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
- 34
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 15, 2013
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 1,200 total · 78 in this make and model · 1,050 as pilot in command · 75 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 60
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight engineer
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 21, 2014
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 1,434 total · 137 in this make and model · 1,336 as pilot in command · 51 in the last 90 days · 39 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.29 inHg
- Observed at
- KMRN
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 29, 2015, 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.