AGUSTA AEROSPACE CORP AW119 MKII

Lumberton, NJ — May 1, 2014

Event Information

DateMay 1, 2014
Event TypeACC
NTSB NumberERA14CA216
Event ID20140501X55649
LocationLumberton, NJ
CountryUSA
Coordinates39.93889, -74.84084
AirportSOUTH JERSEY RGNL
Highest InjuryNONE

Aircraft

MakeAGUSTA AEROSPACE CORP
ModelAW119 MKII
CategoryHELI
FAR Part091
Aircraft DamageSUBS

Conditions

Light ConditionDAYL
WeatherVMC

Injuries

Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
None2
Total Injured0

Event Location

Probable Cause

The flightcrew's improper recovery from a simulated engine failure after takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's failure to clarify who had control of the helicopter.

Full Narrative

According to the flight instructor, he gave the pilot under instruction (PUI) a simulated engine failure after takeoff when the helicopter reached approximately 50 knots. The PUI pulled the cyclic aft and increased collective. The flight instructor joined the PUI on the controls to prevent him from pulling too much collective and to lower the helicopter's nose to a level attitude. Both pilots were on the controls as the collective was increased to cushion the landing. The helicopter landed on the paved runway's centerline, and as it slid across what the pilots described as an uneven surface, it began to porpoise. The flight instructor lowered the collective to slow the slide and heard a noise, then the helicopter began vibrate and turned 220 degrees to the right before coming to a stop. During the slide, a main rotor blade cut off the tail boom. Neither pilot reported any preexisting mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

About This NTSB Record

This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.

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