Bell 206B N33HF

Summary

On 11 January 1996 at about 14:30 local time, a Bell 206B registered N33HF was involved in an accident near Pompano Beach, Florida, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 January 1996 at 14:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Pompano Beach, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Pompano Beach Air Park (PMP)

Coordinates

26.2306, -80.1292

Aircraft

Bell 206B

Registration

N33HF

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA96LA061

Nobody was injured.

IMPROPER FLARE BY THE RATED STUDENT PILOT, AND INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE RATED STUDENT PILOT WAS DEMONSTRATING A STRAIGHT-IN AUTOROTATION. HE ENTERED THE MANEUVER AT ABOUT 500 FEET AGL, AND A FLARE WAS INITIATED AT ABOUT 50 FEET AGL. INITIAL COLLECTIVE PITCH APPLICATION WAS MADE BETWEEN 15 TO 20 FEET AGL, AND HE DID NOT LEVEL THE HELICOPTER WITH CYCLIC. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) ATTEMPTED TO LEVEL THE HELICOPTER WITH CYCLIC CONTROL, BUT WAS UNABLE TO COMPLETELY LEVEL THE HELICOPTER DUE TO A PREMATURE APPLICATION OF ALL COLLECTIVE PITCH BY THE RATED STUDENT PILOT AND LOW ROTOR RPM. THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE ON THE HEELS OF THE SKIDS. THE NOSE OF THE HELICOPTER THEN PITCHED DOWN, AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE COLLIDED WITH THE TAILBOOM ASSEMBLY.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.