Bell 206B N536T

Summary

On 17 June 2014 at about 20:00 local time, a Bell 206B registered N536T, operated by Federal Aviation Administration, was involved in an accident near Decatur, Texas, 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

17 June 2014 at 20:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Decatur, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Decatur Muncipal (KLUD)

Coordinates

33.2578, -97.5811

Aircraft

Bell 206B

Registration

N536T

Category

Helicopter

Year built

1980

Engines

1

Operator

Federal Aviation Administration

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fort Worth → Fort Worth

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN14LA296

2 people had minor injuries.

The flight instructor’s improper recovery from a practice autorotation, 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 pilot-rated student and flight instructor were conducting a helicopter proficiency flight. After about 2 hours of flight and completing a series of maneuvers, which included straight-in and 180-degee autorotations, the instructor began to demonstrate another 180-degree autorotation. The instructor reported that, when the helicopter was at 200 ft at the start of the approach, the rotor speed was in the mid to low section of the green band. At the beginning of the flare, he tried to roll in full throttle, but he felt resistance, and he didn't get the power restored in time. He then attempted to level the helicopter to avoid a tail strike. The pilot receiving instruction reported that the instructor was at the controls and that, when the helicopter was at 100 ft, he noticed that the rotor speed was at a minimum and that the rate of closure was slow. He thought they were going to be short, so he called for power and reached for the throttle to confirm it was fully on. The helicopter landed hard and slid to a stop just off the runway. Examination of the helicopter and throttle system did not reveal any abnormalities.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.