BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON 206L-1
Grand Canyon, AZ — April 23, 2013
Event Information
| Date | April 23, 2013 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | WPR13CA206 |
| Event ID | 20130423X85953 |
| Location | Grand Canyon, AZ |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 35.85528, -112.07555 |
| Airport | Grand Canyon National Park |
| Highest Injury | NONE |
Aircraft
| Make | BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON |
| Model | 206L-1 |
| Category | HELI |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | DAYL |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 0 |
| Minor | 0 |
| None | 2 |
| Total Injured | 0 |
Event Location
Probable Cause
The failure of the flight instructor and the pilot receiving instruction to recognize before entering the flare that the wind had shifted to a tailwind and terminate the practice autorotation.
Full Narrative
The flight instructor reported that during an instructional flight, she and her student pilot were practicing autorotations. During a right turn 180- degree autorotation, the flight instructor announced that the throttle was coming on, and then when full throttle was on. The student then started to level the helicopter. As the wind had shifted during the maneuver, the student was forced to flare harder and utilize increased cyclic control. The flight instructor subsequently took control of the helicopter in order to prevent an engine over-torque and landed the helicopter. During the landing, the tail boom was substantially damaged. The flight instructor reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine 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.