On July 15, 1987, a Hiller FH-1100 (registration N590FH) operated by James E. Stevens was involved in an aviation accident near Capron, VA. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A helicopter made a hard landing on its right skid after an abrupt right turn during a power descent approach. The pilot reported no response to cyclic inputs. Examination found no preimpact malfunctions.
Accident Details
During a power descent landing approach at a speed of 60 mph, the helicopter descended to an altitude of about 10 feet above ground level. At that point, the pilot raised the collective pitch lever and applied left rudder pedal input. In response, the helicopter made an abrupt turn to the right. The pilot reported that subsequent corrective inputs to the cyclic control did not produce any response from the helicopter.
The helicopter then descended further and made a hard landing on its right landing skid. After touchdown, the main rotor blade struck the helicopter.
Examination Findings
A post-accident examination of the helicopter was conducted. The examination did not reveal any evidence of preimpact malfunctions or failures in the aircraft systems or components.