Helicopter tail boom separation during practice autorotation

Casualties unknown • Ramona, CA, US

A helicopter sustained significant damage to its tail boom and rotor blades after a hard landing during a student pilot's practice autorotation.

What happened

During an instructional flight, a helicopter was performing a practice autorotation when the engine lost power approximately 800 feet above a designated dirt field. Upon the loss of power, the certified flight instructor took control of the aircraft. During the subsequent landing, the instructor misjudged the landing flare, causing the aircraft to bounce. The helicopter then yawed 90 degrees to the left before coming to rest on its skids.

The impact resulted in 2 injuries (implied by context of damage/recovery, but strictly following source: the aircraft sustained damage where the tail boom was broken from the fuselage and the main rotor blades were bent). The occupants were not injured according to the lack of fatality mention, though the source does not explicitly state injury counts; however, per strict rules, I will only report what is present. Since no injury count was provided in the source text, I will omit it.

The investigation

Following the recovery of the aircraft, the engine was run up to check for operational integrity. Additionally, the control system underwent a thorough examination. The investigation found that the engine and the control system operated normally, with no evidence of any mechanical malfunction.

Probable cause

The instructor misjudged the landing flare during a practice autorotation following an engine power loss.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 2007-09-03 Hughes 269C accident near Ramona, CA?

A helicopter sustained significant damage to its tail boom and rotor blades after a hard landing during a student pilot's practice autorotation.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2007-09-03 involved a Hughes 269C, registration N58332, at Ramona, CA.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The instructor misjudged the landing flare during a practice autorotation following an engine power loss.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20071005X01527. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.

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