Pilot Debrief

EUROCOPTER AS 350 B3 near Napa, CA — 2012-03-01

Final reportWPR12TA120
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Date
2012-03-01
Location
Napa, CA, USA
Airport
KAPC
Aircraft
EUROCOPTER AS 350 B3
Registration
N341HP
Category
Helicopter
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Hover

Probable cause

The flight instructor’s improper use of the collective control during a practice hovering autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing.

NTSB narrative

The flight instructor reported that while hovering about 3 feet above the ground, he performed an autorotation demonstration for the second pilot. Although the flight instructor raised the collective to arrest the descent before landing, the helicopter made a firm landing, which resulted in substantial damage to the tailboom. The flight instructor reported no preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation. The Federal Aviation Administration’s helicopter flying handbook identifies the proper techniques for practice autorotation maneuvers from altitude and indicates that one of the common errors that can occur during hovering autorotations is the pilot’s failure to apply up-collective pitch properly, which can result in a hard landing.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Human factors
First missed decision gate
Properly applying up-collective pitch to cushion the landing could have prevented hard touchdown.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 3 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents3

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