On March 28, 2003, a Bell 47G (registration N17114) was involved in an aviation accident near Lehighton, PA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The student pilot's improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing, and his continued flight operations with a known discrepancy. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A student pilot, after a hard landing and a refused autorotation lesson due to skid damage concerns, continued solo practice. A skid broke and a main rotor blade severed the tailboom.
Incident Overview
During a solo flight, the student pilot, who also owned the helicopter, made a hard landing. After the flight, the student wanted to practice full autorotations with his flight instructor, but the instructor refused. The instructor was concerned that the hard landing may have caused damage to one of the skids.
Subsequent Actions
The student pilot then decided to practice running takeoffs and landings on his own. During these maneuvers, one of the skids completely broke. Subsequently, a main rotor blade severed the tailboom of the helicopter.
Outcome
The incident resulted in damage to the helicopter: one skid broke and the tailboom was severed by a main rotor blade. No other details about injuries or the extent of damage are specified in the source.