Accident Details
Date
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
NTSB Number
DEN07CA072
Location
Broomfield, CO
Event ID
20070430X00475
Coordinates
39.908889, -105.117225
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
2
Total Aboard
2
Probable Cause and Findings
The instructor's failure to maintain aircraft control. A contributing factor was the windshear.
Aircraft Information
Registration
N7681H
Make
ROBINSON
Serial Number
3852
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Registered Owner (Historical)
Name
HIGGINS LEASING INC
Address
PO BOX 7327
Status
Deregistered
City
THE WOODLANDS
State / Zip Code
TX 77387-7327
Country
United States
Analysis
According to the flight instructor, he was demonstrating a "full-down" autorotation into a 20-knot headwind. About 20 feet above the ground, the wind diminished and the rotor RPM decayed. The pilot flared the helicopter, but it impacted the taxiway at 40 knots and at a 1,000 feet per minute descent rate. The helicopter bounced and the main rotor blades struck the tail boom. A systems examination revealed no anomalies.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# DEN07CA072