Eurocopter AS-350-BA N906BA

Summary

On 19 September 2008 at about 21:45 local time, a Eurocopter AS-350-BA registered N906BA, operated by Liberty Helicopters, was involved in an accident near Linden, New Jersey, 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

19 September 2008 at 21:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Linden, New Jersey, United States

Nearest airport

Linden Airport (LDJ)

Coordinates

40.6172, -74.2444

Aircraft

Eurocopter AS-350-BA

Registration

N906BA

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Liberty Helicopters

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Linden → Linden

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA08LA199

Nobody was injured.

The flight instructor’s delayed remedial action (flight control inputs) during a practice autorotation/run-on landing resulting in fracture damage to the main rotor system Starflex.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The flight instructor was monitoring the student pilot during a 180-degree autorotation as part of the flight training. The maneuver was entered at 700 feet above the ground and at 100 knots. Once the intended spot was made for the 'power-on' recovery, the flare was started. As the flight instructor advanced the fuel flow control valve into the flight position, the helicopter started to settle and the low rotor speed horn came on. The flight instructor took over the controls advising the student pilot that it was going to be a run-on landing. During the landing, while in the ground run, the nose of the helicopter pitched forward as the skids dug into the mud. The flight instructor pulled back on the cyclic to prevent the blades from contacting the ground. The helicopter came to rest in the upright position in the grassy area. Post accident inspection of the helicopter’s main rotor system revealed that the 2,167 hours time in service Starflex component had two of its three arms fractured. Examinations of the fracture surfaces revealed no indications of any pre-existing damage to the areas. The fractures were consistent with overstress and unusual loads, which were produced during abrupt flight control inputs with low main rotor RPM.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.