HONOLULU, HI, USA
N8656F
HUGHES 269C
THE CERTIFICATED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR ENTERED A NORMAL PRACTICE AUTOROTATION. HE NOTED ROTOR IN THE GREEN, 55 KIAS, AND THE AIRCRAFT IN TRIM. JUST PRIOR TO THE ALTITUDE WHERE HE WOULD HAVE BEGUN A DECELERATION, ABOUT 50-100 FEET AGL, HE NOTED THE AIRSPEED HAD BLED TO ABOUT 20 KIAS AND THE AIRCRAFT HAD DEVELOPED A HIGH RATE OF DESCENT. HE ATTEMPTED TO PERFORM A POWER RECOVERY, BUT THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO DESCEND AND LANDED HARD. THE TAIL ROTOR SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED BACK INTO THE AIR. THE AIRCRAFT AGAIN LANDED HARD, THEN ROLLED OVER. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK, THE ALTITUDE AND AIRSPEED WHERE THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A RECOVERY WAS WITHIN A FLIGHT AVOIDANCE AREA, WHICH PREVENTED THE PILOT FROM PERFORMING REMEDIAL ACTION.
THE INSTRUCTOR'S IMPROPERLY PLANNED APPROACH. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBSERVE PERFORMANCE DATA FOR THE HELICOPTER.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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