Enstrom F28A N764PC

Summary

On 5 January 2007 at about 22:30 local time, a Enstrom F28A registered N764PC, operated by Vista Aviation, LLC, was involved in an accident near Bruceville, Texas, 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

5 January 2007 at 22:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Bruceville, Texas, United States

Coordinates

31.1514, -97.4047

Aircraft

Enstrom F28A

Registration

N764PC

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Vista Aviation, LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DFW07CA053

Nobody was injured.

The instructor pilot's improper demonstration of an autorotation, resulting in the helicopter's main rotor blades impacting the ground.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The 1,425-hour helicopter rated flight instructor and a 130-hour private helicopter pilot lifted-off in the piston-engine powered helicopter for a local instructional flight. The flight instructor planned to demonstrate "a hovering autorotation with forward speed." The instructor reported that "after initiating the maneuver, [he] failed to level the aircraft, [and] as the aircraft descended ... the toes of the landing skids contacted the ground." The helicopter continued rotating forward until the main rotor blades impacted the ground. As the helicopter rocked back, the main rotor blades then struck the tail-rotor driveshaft. In the Recommendation section of the NTSB Form 6120.1 (How could this accident have been prevented ?), the flight instructor stated that the accident could have been prevented if "the aircraft had no forward speed", "if aircraft touched down in a level attitude, or if the maneuver had been performed over a hard surface."

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.