N123SD – Bell 206A – 2007-11-21 NTSB Accident Report

On November 21, 2007, a Bell 206A (N123SD) was involved in an incident near Twin Falls, ID. 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 misjudged the flare which resulted in a hard landing.

The pilot indicated that the purpose of the flight was to finish the post annual flight check and to check the autorotational rpm during a simulated engine out condition. The pilot was flying in the left seat and there was an observer in the right seat. He entered a 180-degree autorotation and at 70 feet above ground level, began a gradual flare. During the flare, the helicopter contacted the asphalt surface of the taxiway. The helicopter hopped and then came to a stop. The pilot initiated another pattern and power recovery autorotation. He then hover taxied to the maintenance hangar ramp area and performed a normal shutdown. Post flight inspection revealed a wrinkle in the tail boom.

This incident is documented in NTSB report SEA08CA037. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N123SD.