- Date
- April 27, 2008, 14:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Murietta, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N526DLBell 206B
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20080427836699A
- Case key
- 67947
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 inadequate supervision and delayed remedial action. A contributing factor to the accident was the dual student's improper flare.
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 commercial pilot was receiving instruction and reported that during the seventh practice full touchdown autorotation, the helicopter touched down on the aft part of the landing skids and started to rock forward. He stated he applied aft cyclic to prevent the helicopter from rolling forward, and one of the main rotor blades subsequently struck the tail boom. The flight instructor said that he was unable to react in time to level the helicopter prior to touchdown. Examination of the helicopter revealed structural damage to the tail boom and tail rotor drive shaft. No mechanical anomalies were reported with the flight control system. The pilot stated in the "How could this accident have been prevented?" section of the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report form, "proper execution of a full down autorotation by fully leveling the aircraft before touchdown."
Factual narrative
The commercial pilot receiving instruction reported that during the seventh practice autorotation to landing that day, the helicopter touched down on the aft part of the landing skids and started to roll forward. The pilot stated he applied aft cyclic to prevent the helicopter from rolling forward and one of the main rotor blades subsequently struck the tail boom. The flight instructor stated that he was unable to react in time to level the helicopter prior to touchdown. Examination of the helicopter revealed structural damage to the tail boom and tail rotor drive shaft. No mechanical anomalies were reported with the flight control system. The pilot stated in the "how could this accident/incident have been prevented" section of the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report form, "proper execution of a full down autorotation by fully leveling the aircraft before touchdown."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N526DL
- Reported as
- Bell 206B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3215
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20, 420 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Go Heli LLC
- Registered owner
- Go Heli LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- F70 · Murietta, CA
- Airport
- F70 · French Valley Airport
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 39
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2
- Flight hours
- 4,296 total · 1,600 in this make and model · 120 in the last 90 days · 49 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 58
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 5 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.03 inHg
- Observed at
- KRIV
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.