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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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NTSB Report

September 25, 1989 · Bell 47G · N47VS

Corvallis, OR

Overview

Report Status
Probable Cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
September 25, 1989
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 minor injury), 1 uninjured
Location
Corvallis, OR
Aircraft
Bell 47G
Tail Number
N47VS
Injuries
Minor
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
SEA89LA177

While practicing hovering autorotations on an asphalt taxiway, several hard landings occurred as a result of the student's difficulty learning the proper application of collective pitch. The CFI then instructed the student to move to a sod area adjacent to the taxiway for the cushioning effect to reduce impact forces on the aircraft. The CFI said he did not inspect the aircraft for damage after the hard landings on the taxiway. The student then performed one hovering autorotation on the sod area, and during the subsequent hover control was lost. The aircraft rolled over and impacted the ground. Heavy skid impact marks were found on the taxiway. The engine mount tubular structure at the bottom mount, and the cross member support tubes, were fractured. The walls of the tubes were of irregular thickness, contained extensive corrosion scaling, and in some places could be bent by hand. The bottom of the engine, which is mounted to the transmission and main rotor mast, was free to move. Last annual insp. five days before accident.

NTSB Probable Cause

STUDENT PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE COLLECTIVE CONTROL WHILE PERFORMING HOVERING AUTOROTATIONS, AND THE INSTRUCTOR'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF THE STUDENT'S ACTIONS, WHICH RESULED IN HARD LANDINGS. IN ADDITION, THE ENGINE MOUNT WAS SIGNIFICANTLY WEAKENED STRUCTUALLY AS A RESULT OF CORROSION.

Full Narrative

WHILE PRACTICING HOVERING AUTOROTATIONS ON AN ASPHALT TAXIWAY SEVERAL HARD LANDINGS OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF THE STUDENT'S DIFFICULTY LEARNING THE PROPER APPLICATION OF COLLECTIVE PITCH. THE CFI THEN INSTRUCTED THE STUDENT TO MOVE TO A SOD AREA ADJACENT TO THE TAXIWAY FOR THE CUSHIONING EFFECT TO REDUCE IMPACT FORCES ON THE AIRCRAFT. THE CFI SAID HE DID NOT INSPECT THE AIRCRAFT FOR DAMAGE AFTER THE HARD LANDINGS ON THE TAXIWAY. THE STUDENT THEN PERFORMED ONE HOVERING AUTOROTATION ON THE SOD AREA, AND DURING THE SUBSEQUENT HOVER CONTROL WAS LOST. THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED OVER AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. HEAVY SKID IMPACT MARKS WERE FOUND ON THE TAXIWAY. THE ENGINE MOUNT TUBULAR STRUCTURE AT THE BOTTOM MOUNT, AND THE CROSS MEMBER SUPPORT TUBES, WERE FRACTURED. THE WALLS OF THE TUBES WERE OF IRREGULAR THICKNESS, CONTAINED EXTENSIVE CORROSION SCALING, AND IN SOME PLACES COULD BE BENT BY HAND. THE BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE, WHICH IS MOUNTED TO THE TRANSMISSION AND MAIN ROTOR MAST, WAS FREE TO MOVE. LAST ANNUAL INSP. FIVE DAYS BEFORE ACCIDENT.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time10:10 PDT
Nearest AirportCorvallis (0nm N)
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireGrd
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftBell 47G
Tail NumberN47VS
Aircraft CategoryHeli
DamageDestroyed
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsFranklin · 6V335-B · Reciprocating · 200
Seats3

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 minor injury), 1 uninjured
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor1
Uninjured1
Total2
Crew 1Age 33 · First Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
WindCalm
Visibility10 sm
CeilingOvercast 4000 ft
Temperature / Dew Point70 F / 55
Altimeter29.00 inHg
Observation Time17:00
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data