27 May 2011: BELL 206B3 — N57AW LLC

27 May 2011: BELL 206B3 — N57AW LLC

No fatalities • Glendale, AZ, United States

Probable cause

The certified flight instructor's failure to maintain adequate main rotor RPM during the autorotation.

— NTSB Determination

Accident narrative

The certified flight instructor reported that he took off in the helicopter to show a student pilot a demonstration of various maneuvers. Near the end of the flight the instructor demonstrated a power on autorotation but he was late rolling on the throttle and did not have sufficient rotor RPM to recover the helicopter before impacting the ground. Upon ground impact the helicopter's tail rotor drive shaft and main rotor blades were damaged. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions of failures with the airframe or the engine that would have precluded normal operation.

Contributing factors

  • cause Instructor/check pilot
  • cause Instructor/check pilot
  • cause Incorrect use/operation
  • cause Prop/rotor parameters — Not attained/maintained

Conditions

Weather
VMC, wind 000/04kt, vis 20sm

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