Helicopter Flight Information

NTSB Identification: ATL03LA095. The docket is stored on NTSB microfiche number DMS.
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, May 17, 2003 in Bainbridge, GA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 11/25/03
Aircraft: Aerospatiale AS355F2, registration: N42AT
Injuries: 2 Uninjured.

On May 17, 2003, at 0955 eastern daylight time, an Aerospatiale AS355F2, N42AT, registered to Betaco Inc., operated as a 14 CFR Part 91 positioning flight, landed hard from a hover at the Decatur County Industrial Park, Bainbridge, Georgia. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a visual flight rules flight plan was filed. The helicopter received substantial damage. The commercial pilot and one passenger reported no injuries. The flight originated from Decatur County Industrial Park, Bainbridge, Georgia, at 0955 on May 17, 2003.

The pilot stated he had just completed refueling and picked the helicopter up to a hover. He hovered over to another position on the ramp and turned the helicopter into the wind. He lowered the collective pitch and set the helicopter down hard on the ramp. The right rear skid contacted the ground and the aircraft began to shutter[sic]. After completing the engine shutdown he exited the helicopter and noticed that the tail boom support spar was cracked, the skin on both sides of the tailboom was wrinkled and the star flex composite lead lag stabilizer was broken.

Review of pilot training records obtained from Eurocopter revealed the pilot completed transition ground school and 3 hours of flight training in the AS355 on March 21, 2003. The pilot had logged 7.5 hours total flight time in the AS355 at the time of the accident, however the review of the pilot's flight logs also showed that he had accumulated 1,407 hours in helicopters.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:

The pilot's improper flare during an attempted landing.

Comment

This one is pretty cut and dried so to speak; the pilot set the helicopter down hard which set up 'Ground Resonance', he then failed to execute the proper corrective action, (hover), and then proceeded to shut down the helicopter rather than pick it up into a hover as he should have, which resulted in the helicopter shaking itself to death. Remember that the proper corrective action for Ground Resonance while at full rpm is to hover and let the rotor return to sync. Only during start-up when the rotor rpm is less than full (rpm) should it be shut down.

Although 1,407 hours should be enough flight time for a pilot to be well qualified, this is an example of hours verses technique; meaning that hours do not necessarily mean that a pilot has good technique. Obviously this pilot is in need of some ground proximity training.

Note also the probable cause ... Obviously the NTSB needs to do some studying as well. Since when do you flare when landing from a hover, and since when does faring have anything to do with Ground Resonance?

Send email to rb@helicopterflight.net with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2003-2011 All Rights Reserved.  No articles may be reproduced without written permission.
Last modified: 03/30/2012