Accident Agusta A109A Hirundo N293G,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 153064
 
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Date:Thursday 22 March 2001
Time:11:40
Type:Silhouette image of generic A109 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Agusta A109A Hirundo
Owner/operator:Niihau Helicopters Inc.
Registration: N293G
MSN: 7166
Total airframe hrs:3947 hours
Engine model:Allison 250-C20B
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Category:Accident
Location:Port Allen Airport, Kauai, HI -   United States of America
Phase: Landing
Nature:Training
Departure airport:Makaweli, HI
Destination airport:Hanapepe-Port Allen Airport, HI (PAK/PHPA)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
During a FAR Part 135 proficiency check ride in the helicopter, the check airman, who was an FAA inspector, gave the commercial pilot a stuck pedal situation after takeoff by blocking the left pedal slightly forward of the neutral position. Both pilots indicated the commercial pilot was unfamiliar with the maneuver, and the check airman talked the pilot through the process during the flight around the traffic pattern. The check airman told the pilot to bring the helicopter to a hover at a preselected spot, which the pilot did. The check airman then instructed the pilot to reduce power to effect a slight heading change and settle the helicopter onto the ground. The pilot reduced the engine power to idle "rapidly" and the helicopter yawed to the left. The pilot attempted an autorotational landing and flared too high resulting in a hard landing. During the hard landing, the right main landing gear failed, and the helicopter rolled onto its right side. The check airman and the pilot both reported the check airman did not brief the pilot of the maneuver prior to the flight, nor did he demonstrate the maneuver to the pilot. According to the helicopter manufacturer, stuck pedal emergency procedures are not provided in the emergency procedures section of the operating handbook, and the maneuver should be discussed first and demonstrated with neutral pedal settings.
Probable Cause: the pilot's misjudged flare during an autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing. A contributing factor was the check airman's failure to demonstrate a stuck pedal maneuver prior to assigning the procedure to the pilot.


This helicopter was used by Universtal Studios Inc. in the 1993 blockbuster hit, Jurrasic Park.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: LAX01FA127
Status: Investigation completed
Duration:
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB: https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20010407X00719&key=1

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
05-Feb-2013 01:42 TB Added
21-Dec-2016 19:28 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency]
10-Dec-2017 10:47 ASN Update Bot Updated [Cn, Operator, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
25-Aug-2020 17:37 davejsen Updated [Country, Narrative]
25-Aug-2020 17:38 harro Updated [Country, Narrative]

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