IAD01LA095

The purpose of the helicopter flight was to give the private pilot a practical flight evaluation for a commercial pilot certificate. While in cruise flight, the FAA designated pilot examiner (DPE) initiated a simulated engine failure to the pilot. Neither pilot monitored the engine RPM, and neither noticed that the engine stopped producing power after the DPE reduced the throttle. As a result, the rotor RPM decayed during the attempted powered recovery, the glide distance was reduced, and adequate rotor RPM for cushion at touchdown was not available. The pilot was asked if there were any specific checks or callouts he was to perform in the event of a simulated engine failure. He said that he did not have any required callouts, did not verbalize his intended point of touchdown, or crosscheck the engine RPM until he attempted a powered recovery from the autorotation. The examiner was asked if the applicant was required to check any parameters or make any callouts during his response to the simulated emergency. Specifically, he was asked if the applicant had to confirm the engine idle rpm, and he said no. After the accident, the engine started and ran continuously without interruption.

On August 7, 2001, at 1253 eastern daylight time, a Hughes 269C helicopter, N3626B, was substantially damaged during a forced landing to a cornfield after a loss of engine power in Lewiston, New York. The certificated private pilot and the certificated flight instructor were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that originated at the Niagara Falls International Airport (IAG), Niagara Falls, New York. No flight plan was filed for the instructional/evaluation flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

The purpose of the flight was to give the private pilot a practical flight evaluation for a commercial pilot certificate. In a written statement, the airline transport pilot, who was also a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) designated pilot examiner (DPE), said a preflight inspection of the helicopter was performed. He said the helicopter had been serviced with 20 gallons of fuel, which provided for a 30-gallon fuel load prior to departure.

The DPE said that about 45 minutes was spent performing "airport and ground related tasks" at the Niagara Falls Airport, and then the helicopter departed for a training area 10 miles to the north. He said another 20 minutes was spent completing the evaluation in the training area, and on the return flight to the Niagara Falls Airport, he initiated a simulated engine failure.

According to the DPE, the helicopter was in cruise flight at 1,500 feet when he reduced the throttle and announced, "simulated engine failure" to the pilot. He said the pilot lowered the collective, and turned toward a hay field. At 800 to 900 feet, the DPE announced, "power recover", but he did not perceive a response from the helicopter or the pilot, so he announced it again.

When the pilot reported that the helicopter would not respond, the DPE noted the engine tachometer indicated "zero", and assumed control of the helicopter. He said the rotor RPM was decayed during the attempted power recovery, the glide distance was reduced, and that adequate rotor RPM for cushion at touchdown was not available.

The DPE said he completed the forced landing to a cornfield short of the intended point of touchdown, and that the landing gear collapsed and the tailboom was severed during the landing.

The pilot concurred with the examiner's written statement by his signature, and later during a telephone interview.

During the telephone interview, the pilot said the flight was uneventful, and that the helicopter was in cruise flight about 1,500 feet when the DPE announced, "Simulated engine failure." He said the examiner initiated the emergency by closing the throttle on the copilot's collective stick.

The pilot said he entered autorotation, adjusted his airspeed, and turned the helicopter into the wind. He said the DPE instructed him to perform a power recovery, but the helicopter would not respond. The pilot said he noted the engine tachometer indicated "zero".

The pilot said he surrendered the flight controls to the examiner, and that the DPE completed the autorotation. He said that he was headed for a hayfield, but that the DPE landed to a cornfield due to a tree line between the helicopter and the hayfield along their route of flight.

The pilot was asked if there were any specific checks or callouts he was to perform in the event of a simulated engine failure. He said that he did not have any required callouts, did not verbalize his intended point of touchdown, or crosscheck the engine RPM until he performed a power recovery from the autorotation. He said:

"I dump the collective, check rotor in the green, and set up for 60 miles-per-hour. I don't have any callouts. Until I was told to join the needles, no, I wasn't looking at the engine RPM."

The pilot was asked what the normal operating range was for the rotor RPM, and he said he did not know. When asked if he recalled what the rotor RPM was during the autorotation, he said, "It was at the bottom of the green arc."

During a follow-up telephone interview, the DPE said that during the return flight to Niagara Falls Airport, he initiated a simulated engine failure. When questioned how the rotor rpm decayed during the autorotation, he said:

"After I said 'power recover', he was rolling the throttle on and pulling the collective in at the same time, which you normally would do when you have an engine running, but he didn't."

The examiner was asked if the applicant was required to check any parameters or make any callouts during his response to the simulated emergency. Specifically, he was asked if the applicant had to confirm the engine idle rpm. According to the examiner:

"No, he has nothing to recite back. You've got an idle, about 700 to 750 rpm, but I didn't pull the throttle all the way off, I just rolled it off enough to split the needles.

"What I'm concerned with is: Does he get the collective down? Does he turn into the wind? Does he pick an area to land? That's what I'm looking for. He did all those things."

The DPE reported 13,000 hours of flight experience, 8,500 hours of which were in helicopters. He said he had 45 to 50 hours of experience in the Hughes 269.

The pilot said he had about 230 hours of flight experience, 120 hours of which were in helicopters. He said he had 63 hours of flight experience in the Hughes 269.

Both pilots said there were no performance or handling problems with the helicopter prior to the loss of engine power.

The helicopter was removed from the site and examined at the operator's hangar by FAA Aviation Safety inspectors on August 9, 2001, and again on August 13, 2001. In a written statement the airworthiness inspector outlined the results of his examination. He said the throttle linkages were intact and continuity was established from the cockpit back to the engine.

The engine rotated freely using the starter, compression was confirmed, and all engine accessories were operational. The engine started and ran continuously to normal operating temperature without interruption. Magneto and mixture checks were performed with no anomalies noted.

According to the Schweizer Pilot's Flight Manual, "Engine idle speeds at altitude may be less than those at sea level conditions."

A warning associated with Practice Autorotation in the Pilot's Flight Manual states, "Always practice in an area with a suitable landing site to minimize hazards associated with inadvertent engine stoppage."

The weather reported at the Niagara Falls International Airport, at 1655, was few clouds at 4,000 feet with 8 miles of visibility. The winds were from 210 degrees at 8 knots. The pressure altitude was 2,840 feet.