EAST CLOVIS, CA, USA
N204RH
BELL 204-B
THE ACFT WAS BEING FLOWN FOR A MAINTENANCE CK. WHILE CLIMBING AT ABOUT 50 FT AGL A BANG WAS HEARD AND ENG RPM DECREASED. PLT INITIATED AUTOROTATION AND ATTEMPTED A FLARE AT ABOUT 20 FT AGL. THE TAIL ROTOR HIT AND THE ACFT BECAME AIRBORNE AFTER HITTING ON THE SKIDS WITH THE ENG RPM INCREASING AGAIN. THE ACFT BEGAN TO SPIN TO THE RT ANC CAME TO REST UPRIGHT. AN ENG TEARDOWN SHOWED THE COMPRESSOR AND STATORS HAD ERROSION DAMAGE. THE ACFT HAD JUST HAD MAINTENANCE PERFORMED AND WAS UNDERGOING A FLT TEST POWER CHECK WHEN THE ACC OCCURRED. THE PLT SAID THE ENG 'QUIT' AND HE THOUGH IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A COMPRESSOR STALL.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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