N9115R

On August 22, 1995, at 1330 eastern daylight time, a Bell BH47D1 helicopter, N9115R, touched down hard while landing in a soybean field near Sidney, Ohio. The certificated flight instructor (CFI) and dual student were not injured. The helicopter sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR 91, and originated from Urbana, Ohio, exact time unknown.

The student pilot reported that he made a steep approach, with a tailwind, to a spot in a soybean field. He stated that when the helicopter was about 10 feet above the ground, both he and the CFI attempted to "...pull more pitch..." to arrest the rate of descent but they were unsuccessful. The helicopter touched down hard and the main rotor blades severed the tail boom.

The CFI stated that the student pilot was at the controls making a steep approach into his field. He stated, "The approach was coming up short and I instructed [the student] to level the ship...he increased collective but the aircraft continued to descend...at about 30 feet AGL I got on the controls and applied more up collective, the aircraft continued to descend...until ground contact was made."

The instructor stated that there was no mechanical malfunction, and that both pilots were at the controls at the time of the accident.