Aerospatiale AS-350D N5793P

Summary

On 22 February 1989 at about 16:40 local time, a Aerospatiale AS-350D registered N5793P was involved in an accident near Spring Valley, New York, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 February 1989 at 16:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Spring Valley, New York, United States

Nearest airport

Spring Valley Heliport (N-2Y)

Coordinates

41.1199, -74.0497

Aircraft

Aerospatiale AS-350D

Registration

N5793P

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Teterboro → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC89FA089

2 people had minor injuries.

FAILURE OF THE FAA FLIGHT EXAMINER (F/E) TO FOLLOW PROPER PROCEDURES CONCERNING THE AUTOROTATION, AND IMPROPER REMEDIAL ACTION BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND (PIC). FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: LACK OF INFORMATION IN THE FLIGHT MANUAL CONCERNING AUTOROTATIONS, THE FLIGHT EXAMINER'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THE AIRCRAFT, AND THE SOFT TERRAIN AND MOUND OF DIRT (DIRT BANK) IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PIC & AN FAA EXAMINER (F/E) WERE ON A PART 135 CHECK FLT. ABT 900' TO 1000' AGL, THE F/E INITIATED AN AUTOROTATION (A/R) WITH INTENTIONS OF A PWR RECOVERY, ALTHO NO PROCEDURE FOR PERFORMING PWR RECOVERY FM AN A/R WAS PUBLISHED IN THE FLT MANUAL (F/M). HE INITIATED THE A/R BY MOVG THE FUEL FLOW CONTROL/POWER LEVER (FFC) OUT OF THE FULL FWD (PWR LOCKED) PSN. AT ABT 400' AGL & 65 KTS, THE FFC WAS PSND BACK TO THE FULL FWD (DETENT) PSN. AT ABT 65' AGL, THE PIC INITIATED A FLARE WITH COLLECTIVE PITCH CTL, BUT THE ENG LACKED RESPONSE. THE PIC CONTD THE A/R TO TOUCHDOWN ON SOFT TRRN. DRG THE LNDG, THE TAIL ROTOR STRUCK A MOUND OF DIRT, BOTH TAIL ROTOR BLADES SEPD, THEN THE HELICOPTER ROLLED ON ITS RGT SIDE & CAME TO REST. INV REVEALED THE GOVERNOR ANTICIPATOR WOULD NOT HAVE ACTIVATED UNTIL COLLECTIVE PITCH WAS APPLIED & THE ENG COULD TAKE UP TO 9 SEC TO SPOOL UP. F/M ADDRESSED ONLY FULL STOP (A/R) LNDGS. MANUAL FOR AEROSPATIALE INSTRUCTORS RESTRICTED PWR RCVRY TO 200' AGL. NO MECH STOP WAS PROVIDED TO KEEP THE ENG FM GOING BLO 50% DRG PWR RDCN FOR A/R.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.