MD Helicopters 500-E N526BH

Summary

On 27 May 2007 at about 17:45 local time, a MD Helicopters 500-E registered N526BH was involved in an accident near Yerington, Nevada, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

27 May 2007 at 17:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Yerington, Nevada, United States

Nearest airport

Flying M Ranch (FMR)

Coordinates

38.6000, -119.0000

Aircraft

MD Helicopters 500-E

Registration

N526BH

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Yerington → Yerington

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX07CA177

2 people had minor injuries.

The failure of the student and instructor to maintain an adequate main rotor rpm, and the instructor’s inadequate in-flight supervision while conducting a low-level simulated emergency procedure, which resulted in a hard landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The helicopter landed hard while practicing a low altitude engine failure and autorotation. According to the CFI, the student had rolled off the throttle to flight idle in preparation for the maneuver. As the helicopter descended the CFI heard the engine spool down, but did not observe a split between the rotor and engine tachometer needles. He realized that the student had not completely bottomed out the collective, and he immediately took over the flight controls. He attempted to regain some of the decayed rotor rpm's by rolling the throttle to full flight rpm, lowering the collective, and raising the nose to build inertia in the blades; however, he realized that the engine did not have enough time to spool up. He then reduced the throttle to flight idle, leveled the skids, and used the pedals to control the yaw in preparation for the touchdown. The helicopter landed hard with forward speed, and came to rest upright. The CFI reported that the maneuver had been initiated at 100 feet agl, with a targeted recovery of 20 feet agl. The CFI said there were no mechanical anomalies noted with the helicopter.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.