Agusta A109A N293G

Summary

On 22 March 2001 at about 21:40 local time, a Agusta A109A registered N293G was involved in an accident near Hanapepe, Kauai, Hawaii, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 March 2001 at 21:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Hanapepe, Kauai, Hawaii, United States

Nearest airport

Port Allen (PAK)

Coordinates

21.8967, -159.6031

Aircraft

Agusta A109A

Registration

N293G

Category

Helicopter

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Makaweli → Hanapepe

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX01FA127

Nobody was injured.

the pilot's misjudged flare during an autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing. A contributing factor was the check airman's failure to demonstrate a stuck pedal maneuver prior to assigning the procedure to the pilot.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

During a FAR Part 135 proficiency check ride in the helicopter, the check airman, who was an FAA inspector, gave the commercial pilot a stuck pedal situation after takeoff by blocking the left pedal slightly forward of the neutral position. Both pilots indicated the commercial pilot was unfamiliar with the maneuver, and the check airman talked the pilot through the process during the flight around the traffic pattern. The check airman told the pilot to bring the helicopter to a hover at a preselected spot, which the pilot did. The check airman then instructed the pilot to reduce power to effect a slight heading change and settle the helicopter onto the ground. The pilot reduced the engine power to idle "rapidly" and the helicopter yawed to the left. The pilot attempted an autorotational landing and flared too high resulting in a hard landing. During the hard landing, the right main landing gear failed, and the helicopter rolled onto its right side. The check airman and the pilot both reported the check airman did not brief the pilot of the maneuver prior to the flight, nor did he demonstrate the maneuver to the pilot. According to the helicopter manufacturer, stuck pedal emergency procedures are not provided in the emergency procedures section of the operating handbook, and the maneuver should be discussed first and demonstrated with neutral pedal settings.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.