Accident Details
On August 16, 2010, at approximately 1445 eastern daylight time, a Bell UH1H helicopter (U.S. Customs tail number 21769, with no Federal Aviation Administration registration number) was substantially damaged during a practice autorotation at Warrenton-Fauquier Airport (HWY) in Warrenton, Virginia. The helicopter was operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The certificated commercial pilot and flight instructor on board were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a visual flight rules flight plan was filed for the public use training flight. The flight originated at Manassas, Virginia (HEF) at 1400.
Aircraft and Flight
The pilot receiving instruction reported that he was attempting a practice autorotation to runway 33 from an altitude of 1,800 feet. During touchdown, the pitch of the helicopter increased, causing the tail rotor and stinger to contact the runway. The flight instructor immediately pitched the helicopter forward to arrest the tail-low condition, at which point the helicopter began to shudder. Both pilots worked to maintain aircraft control. Due to loss of tail rotor control, the helicopter pivoted to the right. It then struck the runway in a left-skid-low condition and came to rest near the taxiway exiting runway 33. The pilots reported no mechanical anomalies with the helicopter during the autorotation.
Pilot Information
The pilot receiving instruction reported approximately 3,500 hours of total helicopter flight time, including 100 hours in the UH1H model. He also reported 20 hours of flight time in the 90 days prior to the accident and 10 hours in the 30 days prior.
Weather Conditions
The 1440 weather observation for HWY included scattered clouds at 3,700 feet, a broken ceiling at 4,400 feet, surface winds from 230 degrees at 6 knots, visibility of 10 statute miles, temperature 35 degrees Celsius, dew point 22 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 29.94 inches of mercury.
Wreckage Examination
A cursory examination of the wreckage revealed that the tail rotor had separated and the vertical stabilizer was severed.