Casualties unknown

Hard Landing During Autorotation Demonstration Leads to Tail Boom Strike (N47713)

Troy, TX, US

On August 5, 2004, a Bell 47G-3B-1 (registration N47713) operated by Brazos Helicopters Llc was involved in an aviation accident near Troy, TX. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The flight instructor's improper flare, resulting in a hard landing. A contributing factor was the high density altitude. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 2026-06-10Data APIEditorial standards

A flight instructor with 10,120 hours experienced a hard landing during an autorotation demonstration. The helicopter bounced, causing main rotor blades to strike the tail boom. The helicopter landed upright in a field after throttle reduction.

Accident Details

A flight instructor with 10,120 hours of experience was demonstrating autorotations in a helicopter. During the maneuver, the helicopter landed hard and bounced back into the air. As a result, the main rotor blades struck the tail boom. The helicopter began to rotate, at which point the throttle was reduced. The helicopter subsequently landed upright in a field. The instructor reported that after the accident, the wind was from 350 degrees at approximately 10 knots.

Weather Conditions

Weather reported near the time of the accident included wind from 040 degrees at 6 knots, visibility of 10 statute miles, clear sky conditions, temperature 84 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 70 degrees Fahrenheit, and an altimeter setting of 29.94 inches of Mercury. The National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge calculated the density altitude to be 2,485 feet mean sea level.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20040830X01324. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.