Bell 206B N38EA

Summary

On 21 June 2011 at about 18:55 local time, a Bell 206B registered N38EA, operated by California Department of Justice, was involved in an accident near Franklin, California, United States. One person was 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

21 June 2011 at 18:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Franklin, California, United States

Nearest airport

Franklin Field (F72)

Coordinates

38.3003, -121.3747

Aircraft

Bell 206B

Registration

N38EA

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

California Department of Justice

Operating rule

Public Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Franklin → Franklin

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR11TA274

Nobody was injured.

The student pilot's failure to maintain rotor rpm during the practice autorotation.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The student pilot was practicing autorotations and hovering maneuvers, and reported no anomalies with the helicopter during that period. He continued to practice 180-degree autorotations to the right in a nearby open field, and he successfully completed the first autorotation. During the second autorotation, he confirmed that all flight instruments were indicating normal engine operation, but noted that his airspeed was too slow. He attempted to apply corrective control inputs as the descent rate increased. About 100 feet above ground level, he heard the low rotor warning horn and immediately countered by quickly rolling the throttle to full power while applying up-collective. The helicopter did not respond to his inputs in the manner he was expecting, and he performed a run-on landing rather than continue with the attempted recovery. The helicopter then impacted the ground hard, spreading the skids, and then rolled onto its side. The pilot reported that the engine was still operating as he exited. A post impact fire subsequently consumed the majority of the helicopter's components. Subsequent examination of the remnants did not reveal any anomalies with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.