Schweizer 269C N1830D

Summary

On 21 July 2014 at about 17:45 local time, a Schweizer 269C registered N1830D, operated by Bristow Academy Inc, was involved in an accident near Titusville, Florida, 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

21 July 2014 at 17:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Titusville, Florida, United States

Coordinates

28.5511, -80.9008

Aircraft

Schweizer 269C

Registration

N1830D

Category

Helicopter

Year built

2006

Engines

1

Operator

Bristow Academy Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Titusville → Titusville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA14CA348

2 people had minor injuries.

The student pilot's failure to initiate the decelerative flare during autorotation and the CFI's delayed remedial action, 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

According to the flight instructor, the instructional flight was in preparation for his student's evaluation flight scheduled the following day.  The maneuvers practiced were settling with power, straight-in autorotations, 180-degree autorotations, hovering autorotations, and quick stops.  The student pilot was manipulating the controls and initiated an autorotation about 1,300 feet above ground level (agl).  About 100 feet agl, the instructor directed the student to initiate a recovery flare.  About 50 feet agl, the instructor took the controls from the student and initiated the flare.  The helicopter contacted the ground with the tail skid, then the left skid, and subsequently rolled over on its left side.  The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor blades, cabin, and drivetrain.  The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.