Bell 206 Hard Landing During Autoration Training in France

Incident Overview and Aircraft Details On Sunday, June 12, 2011, at approximately 12:15 local time, a privately operated Bell 206 helicopter, registration F-GHST, was involved in an accident near the PF-ULM de Thèmes platform in the northern part of Cuers, France. The aircraft sustained significant damage. The incident occurred during a flight training session involving an instructor and a student pilot. ## Flight Sequence and Operational Context The student pilot took off from Cuers aerodrome at 11:45 local time with an instructor aboard. The flight was conducted to extend a type qualification. After reaching the ULM platform at Thèmes, the pair performed required exercises for 45 minutes. At the end of the session, the instructor instructed the student to climb to 3,000 feet and perform an autorotation with engine restart. The student initiated the maneuver into the wind at 65 knots. ## Accident Mechanics and Instructor Intervention As the helicopter approached the ground, the student increased the pitch attitude for a flare and pulled on the collective pitch to stop the descent. The helicopter sank, and although the instructor took control, they could not prevent the skids from striking the ground. While the aircraft was coming to a stop, the main rotor blades sheared the tail boom. The instructor noted that the student had previously performed exercises with ease and that the autorotation had started correctly. However, the student executed a premature flare and appeared to delay action on the collective pitch. The instructor was surprised and did not have enough time to stop the descent and level the helicopter. The impact of the rear skids with the ground caused the fuselage to move forward, creating an interference with the still-inclined rotor disk. ## Environmental and Personnel Factors Estimated weather conditions at the site included wind from 080 degrees at 8 knots, visibility greater than 10 km, few clouds at 2,700 feet, a temperature of 23 °C, and a QNH of 1011 hPa. The 82-year-old instructor held a CPL(H) license from 1957, an FI(H) qualification from 1973, and a valid examiner authorization. He had 23,000 flight hours, including approximately 9,000 on helicopters and 500 on the Bell 206. The 38-year-old student held a PPL(H) license from 2003 and had approximately 60 helicopter hours.