# NTSB WPR13TA198: Bell OH-58C, N119FT, Phoenix, AZ, April 12, 2013 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Final report - Date: April 12, 2013, 16:45 local (23:45 UTC) - Place: Phoenix, AZ - Coordinates: 33.688056, -112.082496 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.6881&lon=-112.0825&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering: Simulated/training event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/600) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 30, 2014 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 86658 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR13TA198 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/86658/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=86658 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13TA198 ## Probable cause The pilot receiving instruction's delay in adding power during a recovery from a practice autorotation. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Bell OH-58C, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=1181580), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Bell OH-58C, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=1181580), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Bell OH-58C, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=1181580), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) - [Terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021000): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [Bell OH-58C, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021000/cases.md?model=1181580), [All aircraft, 267 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering: Simulated/training event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/600) (defining event); cases with it: [Bell OH-58C, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/600/sequence.md?model=1181580), [All aircraft, 173 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/600/sequence.md) - [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [Bell OH-58C, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=1181580), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis After performing several autorotations in the helicopter during a checkflight, the flight instructor told the pilot to complete the last practice autorotation of the day, which was intended to be a power recovery autorotation. The pilot initiated the maneuver when the helicopter was about 500 feet above ground level (agl) by lowering the collective and rolling the throttle to idle power. As the helicopter descended below 60 feet agl, the flight instructor told the pilot to increase the engine power. The pilot had a delayed response to roll the throttle back to a full power setting. As a result, the low-rotor horn began to sound. The pilot did not believe sufficient time existed for a power recovery; therefore, he decided to perform a full touchdown. The helicopter subsequently touched down hard in soft dirt, and the nose pitched down, resulting in the main rotor blades severing the tailboom. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative On April 12, 2013, about 1645 mountain standard time, a Bell OH-58C, N119FT, landed hard during a practice autorotation near the Deer Valley Airport, Phoenix, Arizona. The helicopter was being operated by, and registered to, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office as a public-use flight. The certified flight instructor (CFI) and private pilot were not injured; the helicopter sustained substantial damage. The local instructional flight departed from Deer Valley about 0615. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.After performing several maneuvers, the pilot was instructed by the CFI to complete the last practice autorotation of the day, which was intended to be a power recovery. With the helicopter about 500 feet above ground level (agl), the pilot initiated the maneuver by lowering the collective and rolling the throttle to idle power. As the helicopter descended below 60 feet agl, the CFI told the pilot to increase the engine power. The pilot had a delayed response to roll the throttle back to a full power setting and the low rotor horn began to sound. The pilot further stated that he did not believe there was enough time for a power recovery and instead committed to performing a full touchdown. The helicopter touched down and slid about 6 feet. The skids dug into soft dirt and the nose pitched down, resulting in the main rotor blades severing the tailboom. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. He additionally reported that he thought the accident may have been prevented if he had more emergency procedures training, and if he had begun the power recovery at a higher altitude. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N119FT](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N119FT-2018-05-30), registration cancelled 2018-05-30, S/N 69-16108 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BELL OH-58C - Registry model: [Bell OH-58C](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-oh-58c) (registry code 1181580) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 69-16108 - Airframe hours: 9129 - Engines: Rolls Royce 250-C20C 420 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Public aircraft - local, Public use - Operator: Maricopa County Sheriffs Department - Registered owner: Maricopa County Sheriffs Department - Airworthiness certificate: Unknown - Last inspection: 100 hour, March 14, 2013, 49 hours before - Departed: DVT, Phoenix, AZ - Destination: DVT, Phoenix, AZ - Flight plan: Unknown - Airport: DVT, Phoenix Deer Valley Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 40; injuries: none; private; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review April 20, 2012; seat: right; flight hours: 617 total, 365 in this make and model, 507 as pilot in command, 50 in the last 90 days, 9 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours - Flight instructor; age 52; injuries: none; flight instructor; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review April 5, 2012; seat: left; flight hours: 7,600 total, 1,251 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 270° at 5 knots - Visibility: 20 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 29.71 inHg - Observed at: DVT, 5 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20130412005679A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130412005679A), Apr 12, 2013: Bell OH-58C, Phoenix, AZ, Substantial damage. On 4-12-2013 @ 1612 local, maricopa sheriff (mcso) pilot [privacy data omitted] was practicing auto-rotations with mcso - instructor [privacy data omitted] in… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 10, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=86658. 947 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 947 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40394204&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF 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.