- Date
- September 22, 2015, 10:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- West Palm Beach, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N44XLRobinson Helicopter R44
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 5, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20150922016629A
- Case key
- 92080
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 improper use of pitch control during a demonstrated 180 degree autorotation which resulted in damage to the tail boom.
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
The helicopter flight instructor reported that during a local instructional flight, he was demonstrating a 180 degree autorotation to the ground. The flight instructor reported he entered the autorotation and everything was normal. During the flare, too much aft cyclic input was used and the helicopter touched down on the heels of the skids. The flight instructor reported the touchdown was not excessively hard or uneven. A post flight examination of the helicopter revealed that the main rotor blade had contacted the tail boom, causing substantial damage to the tail boom. The flight instructor reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The helicopter flight instructor reported that during a local instructional flight, he was demonstrating a 180 degree autorotation to the ground. The flight instructor reported he entered the autorotation and everything was normal. During the flare, too much aft cyclic input was used and the helicopter touched down on the heels of the skids. The flight instructor reported the touchdown was not excessively hard or uneven. A post flight examination of the helicopter revealed that the main rotor blade had contacted the tail boom, causing substantial damage to the tail boom. The flight instructor reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N44XL
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R44
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1006
- Built
- 2001
- Airframe hours
- 4,437
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-F1B5, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Airmen Testing And Training Inc., doing business as Palm Beach Helicopters
- Registered owner
- Rotor Me LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 24, 2015
- Departed
- LNA · West Palm Beach, FL
- Destination
- LNA · West Palm Beach, FL
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Airport
- LNA · Palm Beach County Park, runway 09, 3,489 × 75 ft, asphalt
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 30
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 22, 2015
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,146 total · 395 in this make and model · 1,063 as pilot in command · 62 in the last 90 days · 32 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 36
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 17, 2015
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 122 total · 6 in this make and model · 83 as pilot in command · 48 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 20° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- KPBI, 5 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 29, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.5 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.