N8240G

On December 18, 2000, at 1315 central standard time, a Bell 206B3 helicopter, N8240G, was substantially damaged when it rolled over during landing at the Bell Helicopter Training Strip near Hurst, Texas. The helicopter was registered to the Textron Financial Corporation and operated by Bell Helicopter Textron. The flight instructor and the airline transport pilot receiving instruction sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a company flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The local flight originated from the Bell Helicopter Training Center, Hurst, Texas, approximately 1235.

The flight instructor reported that after the airline transport pilot (ATP) completed a practice hydraulic off run-on landing to runway 35, he (instructor) brought the helicopter to a 10-foot hover with the hydraulics off. He started a hydraulic off approach to the runway and transferred the controls to the ATP to complete the maneuver. The ATP landed the helicopter on the center of the runway, and as the helicopter was sliding forward, it began to drift to the right. The flight instructor took charge of the controls and with left cyclic applied, increased collective to miss a runway edge light, but was unable to get the helicopter airborne in time to miss the light. The helicopter's right skid slid up against the runway edge light (non-breakaway), which stood about 10-12 inches above the ground. As the right skid slid along the light, the helicopter rolled over onto its right side.

The ATP reported in a written statement that after the flight instructor brought the helicopter off the ground with the hydraulics off and began to fly down the runway, he said "let me show you something" and transferred the controls saying "you've got it - touch down before the X." The helicopter touched down before the X, and the instructor took charge of the controls. The ATP stated that the aircraft didn't begin to drift until during the transfer of controls.

The Bell tower controller reported that the wind at the time of the accident was from 320 degrees at 18 knots gusting to 26-32 knots.

Examination of the helicopter by the FAA inspector revealed that the main transmission had separated from the fuselage, the mast was bent, the tail boom was buckled, and both main rotor blades were damaged.