- Date
- November 7, 2019, 11:05 local (16:05 UTC)
- Place
- Groveland, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N6746DBell 47G
- Defining event
- Landing: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 16, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20191107020869A
- Case key
- 100543
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 student pilot's improper cyclic input after a reported hydraulic failure, the reason for which could not be determined, and his failure to follow the emergency procedures, which resulted in a hard landing.
Findings · 4
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 student pilot reported that, during landing, the helicopter experienced a hydraulic failure. He added that he "overreacted" by making multiple commands to the cyclic, which resulted in a tail strike, followed by a hard landing and roll-over. The helicopter caught fire, and the student egressed through the left door. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and tailboom. According to Federal Aviation Administration inspectors who interviewed the pilot immediately following the accident, the pilot stated that he overreacted and that he did not accomplish the helicopter manufacturer's Hydraulic Failure emergency procedure because he "didn't want to let go of the cyclic or the collective to turn off the hydraulic pressure switch." The hydraulic pump and the hydraulic lines were damaged during the postaccident fire; therefore, the reason for the reported hydraulic failure could not be determined.
Factual narrative
The student helicopter pilot reported that during landing, the helicopter had a hydraulic failure, to which he "overreacted, causing a loss of control and subsequent roll over." The helicopter caught fire, and the pilot egressed through the left door. During a conversation with the student, he reported that he did not accomplish the helicopter manufactures Hydraulic Failure emergency procedure, because, he "didn't want to let go of the cyclic or the collective to turn off the hydraulic pressure switch." The tail struck the ground and a subsequent hard landing ensued. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and tailboom. According to FAA Aviation Safety Inspectors that interviewed the pilot directly following the accident, the pilot stated that, he overreacted by making multiple commands to the cyclic and a tail strike ensued, followed by hard landing and rollover. The hydraulic pump and the hydraulic lines were damaged during the post-accident fire.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6746D
- Reported as
- Bell 47G (2)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2250
- Built
- 1958
- Engine
- Lycoming VO435, 194 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 1, 2019
- Departed
- 6FL0 · Groveland, FL
- Destination
- 6FL0 · Groveland, FL
- Airport
- 6FL0 · Seminole Lake, runway 18, 3,000 × 200 ft
- Equipment
- None
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
- 72
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Multi-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- BasicMed, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 10, 2019
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 19,000 total · 20 in this make and model · 18,925 as pilot in command · 25 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 40° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.17 inHg
- Observed at
- KZPH, 20 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 5, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.7 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.
Other investigations on N6746D · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.