Summary
On December 18, 1995, a Hiller 12C (N234SM) was involved in an incident near N. Myrtle Beach, SC. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's improper operation of the flight controls during a practice autorotation, and the certified flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the operation.
On December 18, 1995, at 1500 eastern standard time, a Hiller 12C, N234SM, touched down hard during a practice autorotation at the Grand Strand Airport in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The instructional flight operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The helicopter sustained substantial damage; the certified flight instructor and the private pilot were not injured. The flight departed North Myrtle Beach, at 1430.
The pilots were conducting pre-checkride flight training. According to the private pilot, they were executing a practice autorotation to a powered recovery. As the pilots maneuvered the helicopter during the flare, the tail rotor assembly struck the ground.
This incident is documented in NTSB report ATL96LA023. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N234SM.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's improper operation of the flight controls during a practice autorotation, and the certified flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the operation
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
On December 18, 1995, at 1500 eastern standard time, a Hiller 12C, N234SM, touched down hard during a practice autorotation at the Grand Strand Airport in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The instructional flight operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The helicopter sustained substantial damage; the certified flight instructor and the private pilot were not injured. The flight departed North Myrtle Beach, at 1430.
The pilots were conducting pre-checkride flight training. According to the private pilot, they were executing a practice autorotation to a powered recovery. As the pilots maneuvered the helicopter during the flare, the tail rotor assembly struck the ground. No mechanical problems with the airplane were reported by the pilot.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ATL96LA023