# NTSB SEA01LA044: Bell 206B, N58WW, McMinnville, OR, January 15, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 15, 2001, 12:10 local (20:10 UTC) - Place: McMinnville, OR - Coordinates: 45.190299, -123.240379 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.1903&lon=-123.2404&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 6, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 53390 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA01LA044 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/53390/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA01LA044 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to apply adequate power during a practice autorotation. A factor contributing to the accident was a rough/uneven area on the asphalt landing surface. ## Analysis During a telephone interview and a subsequent written statement, the instructor pilot reported that she and the student pilot were practicing power recovery autorotations. During the fifth practice autorotation, while descending through an altitude of approximately 200 feet AGL, the instructor pilot increased throttle and collective in an effort to slow the helicopter's decent rate and recover from the autorotation. Shortly thereafter, the pilot noted that the main rotor RPM was not increasing and that she had inadvertently applied only partial power for the recovery. The instructor pilot lowered collective, increased power and performed a straight-in run-on landing. The helicopter touched down 3-4 feet beyond the numbers on runway 35. During the run-on landing, the helicopter encountered a rough/uneven spot on the runway surface and came to an abrupt stop. ## Factual narrative On January 15, 2001, about 1210 Pacific standard time, a low skid-equipped Bell 206B helicopter, N58WW, sustained substantial damage subsequent to a hard landing following a practice autorotation at McMinnville Municipal Airport, McMinnville, Oregon. The helicopter is owned by CRT Leasing of Tualatin, Oregon, and was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) instructional flight under Title 14 CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The certified flight instructor, and private pilot (airplane) receiving helicopter training, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local instructional flight. The flight originated from Aurora, Oregon, approximately one hour prior to the accident. There was no fire and no report of ELT activation. During a telephone interview on February 2, 2001, and a subsequent written statement, the instructor pilot reported that she and the student pilot were practicing power recovery autorotations at the McMinnville airport. During the fifth practice autorotation, while descending through an altitude of approximately 200 feet AGL, the instructor pilot increased throttle and collective in an effort to slow the helicopter's decent rate and recover from the autorotation. Shortly thereafter, the pilot noted that the main rotor RPM was not increasing and that she had inadvertently applied only partial power for the recovery. The instructor pilot lowered collective, increased power and performed a straight-in run-on landing. The helicopter touched down 3-4 feet beyond the numbers on runway 35. During the run-on landing, the helicopter encountered a rough/uneven spot on the runway surface and came to an abrupt stop. Post accident inspection revealed that the helicopter fuselage sustained substantial damage to both aft cross tube attach points and rear bulkhead. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - terrain condition - rough/uneven (contributing factor) - throttle/power control - improper use of, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) ## Aircraft - Registration: N58WW (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Bell 206B - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 1495 - Airframe hours: 2968 - Engines: Rolls-Royce 250-C20 400 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: CRT Leasing LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 14, 2000, 65 hours before - Departed: UAO, Aurora, OR - Destination: MMV, McMinnville, OR - Airport: MMV, Mc Minnville Muni, runway 35, 4,676 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 30; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review October 28, 1999; seat: left; flight hours: 1,835 total, 357 in this make and model, 1,700 as pilot in command, 48 in the last 90 days, 13 in the last 30 days - Student pilot; age 34; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review June 11, 1999; seat: right; flight hours: 237 total, 95 in this make and model, 50 as pilot in command, 20 in the last 90 days, 8 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 332° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 2,200 ft broken - Temperature: 41 °F, dew point 34 °F - Altimeter: 30.45 inHg - Observed at: MMV ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20010115000789A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010115000789A), Jan 15, 2001: Bell 206B, Mcminnville, OR, No damage. (-23) Operational consideration was given to the pdx ops ga unit. It was decided that 709 was not necessary. Pilot was conducting flight instruction and made a… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.