N1830D

Substantial
Minor

SCHWEIZER 269CS/N: 0262

Accident Details

Date
Monday, July 21, 2014
NTSB Number
ERA14CA348
Location
Titusville, FL
Event ID
20140722X52311
Coordinates
28.551111, -80.900833
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
2
Uninjured
0
Total Aboard
2

Probable Cause and Findings

The student pilot's failure to initiate the decelerative flare during autorotation and the CFI's delayed remedial action, which resulted in a hard landing.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N1830D
Make
SCHWEIZER
Serial Number
0262
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Year Built
2006
Model / ICAO
269CH269
Aircraft Type
Rotorcraft
No. of Engines
1

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
BRISTOW ACADEMY INC
Address
365 GOLDEN KNIGHTS BLVD
Status
Deregistered
City
TITUSVILLE
State / Zip Code
FL 32780-8124
Country
United States

Analysis

According to the flight instructor, the instructional flight was in preparation for his student's evaluation flight scheduled the following day. The maneuvers practiced were settling with power, straight-in autorotations, 180-degree autorotations, hovering autorotations, and quick stops. The student pilot was manipulating the controls and initiated an autorotation about 1,300 feet above ground level (agl). About 100 feet agl, the instructor directed the student to initiate a recovery flare. About 50 feet agl, the instructor took the controls from the student and initiated the flare. The helicopter contacted the ground with the tail skid, then the left skid, and subsequently rolled over on its left side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor blades, cabin, and drivetrain. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA14CA348