- Date
- July 21, 2017, 08:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- Bozeman, MT
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Emergency descent
- Aircraft
- N28VHRobinson Helicopter R22
- Defining event
- Autorotation: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 14, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170721009129A
- Case key
- 95648
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 unstabilized autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing.
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
According to the helicopter flight instructor, he was demonstrating simulated 180° right turn autorotations. He reported that, during the entry of the third autorotation, the helicopter attitude was excessively nose low and the descent rate was high. He initiated a power-on recovery; however, the flare was initiated too late. He applied forward cyclic to level the skids and increased collective to its mechanical limit, but the helicopter touched down hard, and one of the main rotor blades struck the tailboom. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tailboom. The pilot reported in the National Transportation Safety Board's Pilot Aircraft Accident Report, "The event could have been avoided by recovering the autorotation sooner and doing a go-around." The operator reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
According to the helicopter flight instructor, he was demonstrating simulated 180° right turn autorotations. He reported that during the entry of the third autorotation, the helicopter attitude was excessively nose low and the rate of descent was high. He initiated a power-on recovery; however, the flare was initiated too late. He applied forward cyclic to level the skids and increased collective to its mechanical limit, but the helicopter touched down and one of the main rotor blades struck the tailboom. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tailboom. The pilot reported in the National Transportation Safety Board's, Pilot Aircraft Accident Report, "The event could have been avoided by recovering the autorotation sooner and doing a go-around." The operator reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N28VH
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R22 (MARINER)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3687
- Built
- 2004
- Airframe hours
- 2,640.9
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360 SERIES, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Rocky Mountain Rotors LLC
- Registered owner
- Rocky Mountain Rotors LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 26, 2017
- Departed
- KBZN · Bozeman, MA
- Destination
- KBZN · Bozeman, MA
- Airport
- BZN · Bozeman Yellowstone Intl
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
- 24
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 30, 2017
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 302 total · 182 in this make and model · 208 as pilot in command · 70 in the last 90 days · 41 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 31
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Private, Student
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 12, 2017
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 193 total · 52 in this make and model · 61 as pilot in command · 54 in the last 90 days · 24 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.13 inHg
- Observed at
- KBZN, 1 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 30, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.1 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.