Bell UH1H UNREG

Summary

On 16 August 2010 at about 18:45 local time, a Bell UH1H registered UNREG, operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, was involved in an accident near Warrenton, Virginia, 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

16 August 2010 at 18:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Warrenton, Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

Warrenton-Fauquier Airport (HWY)

Coordinates

38.5864, -77.7106

Aircraft

Bell UH1H

Registration

UNREG

Category

Helicopter

Operator

U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Operating rule

Public Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Manassas → Warrenton

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA10TA429

Nobody was injured.

The pilot receiving instruction's failure to maintain a proper pitch attitude during the practice autorotation maneuver.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot receiving instruction was performing a practice autorotation from about 1,800 feet above ground level. During the touchdown, the pitch of the helicopter increased excessively and the tail rotor and stinger contacted the runway. The certificated flight instructor took authority of the helicopter's controls and lowered the pitch to arrest the tail-low condition. The helicopter began to shudder and both pilots manipulated the flight controls in an attempt to maintain aircraft control. The helicopter then struck the runway in a left-skid-low attitude. A postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed that the tail rotor was separated and the vertical stabilizer was severed. The pilots reported no mechanical anomalies with the helicopter during the autorotation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.