- Date
- September 23, 2005, 09:15 local (13:15 UTC)
- Place
- Titusville, FL
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N39MKBell 206B3
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 31, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Orlando FSDO
- FAA report
- 20050923024399A
- Case key
- 62548
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 flare resulting in a hard landing and main rotor contact with tail boom.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The instructor stated that while performing autorotation with a student, he began with an entry of 600 feet in a steady state autorotation. The deceleration was normal and upon termination of the maneuver. He felt a small vibration and saw a piece of metal fly over and to the front of the helicopter. He immediately closed the throttle and shut down the helicopter. He exited and saw the tail section had been damaged.
Factual narrative
This report is based on information received by the NTSB. Additional details may be found in the NTSB's public docket for this case. For further information, please contact the NTSB Office of Public Inquiries.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N39MK
- Reported as
- Bell 206B3
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2984
- Airframe hours
- 13,706
- Engine
- Rolls-Royce 250C20B, 420 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Helicopter Adventures Inc., doing business as Helicopter Adventures Inc.
- Registered owner
- Klokkenga Helicopter Leasing LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 1, 2005 · 33 hours before
- Departed
- TIX · Titusville, FL
- Destination
- TIX · Titusville, FL
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
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
- 42
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 1, 2005
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 6,171 total · 1,300 in this make and model · 3,811 as pilot in command · 84 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 27
- Injuries
- None
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 85 total · 4 in this make and model · 85 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 100° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 81 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.97 inHg
- Observed at
- KTIX, 7 nm away
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 N39MK · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.