MBB BO-105 N314MS

Summary

On 17 June 2005 at about 22:30 local time, a MBB BO-105 registered N314MS was involved in an accident near Billings, Montana, 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

17 June 2005 at 22:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Billings, Montana, United States

Coordinates

45.8078, -108.5428

Aircraft

MBB BO-105

Registration

N314MS

Category

Helicopter

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Billings → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA05LA120

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's improper in-flight decision to continue a simulated engine-out autorotation after sensing an excessive descent rate at 100 feet above the ground. Factors include the excessive descent rate, variable winds, and a high density altitude.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The instructor pilot had just finished giving the other pilot a proficiency check, and had then taken control of the aircraft so that he could perform some maneuvers for his own proficiency. He performed one simulated engine-out autorotation to a touchdown, and was completing his second, when the accident occurred. He initiated the autorotation from about 1,000 feet above the ground (agl), and began establishing a flare attitude at an altitude of 100 feet agl. At that time he noticed that the descent rate of the helicopter was excessive, but instead of adding power along with the increase in collective, he decided to continue the simulation of the power loss. Just prior to touchdown, the pilot established a landing attitude and used all of the available collective to cushion the landing. When the helicopter touched down, the descent rate was still greater than the pilot desired, and immediately after contacting the ground, the main rotor flexed downward and contacted the top of the tail boom. The pilot reported that there were no problems with the aircraft's flight controls or engine, but the variable wind had changed directions during the descent from 1,000 feet agl, and the aircraft was therefore landing with a tailwind. In addition, the pilot states that the density altitude was approximately 5,700 feet, which left little room for error. In his discussion with the NTSB, the pilot stated that under the conditions, he should have initiated a go-around when he sensed the excessive descent rate at 100 feet agl.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.