ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 356766
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| Date: | Thursday 29 August 1996 |
| Time: | 22:00 LT |
| Type: |  Bell 47G-5 |
| Owner/operator: | Orco Aviation, Inc. |
| Registration: | N57RA |
| MSN: | 25006 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1970 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 5013 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming VO-435-B1A |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Riverside, CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | (KRAL) |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot was regaining night flying proficiency and was practicing a night autorotation landing from 3,000 feet without use of the aircraft's landing light. There was a full moon and the ground was visible. During the autorotation flare, he misjudged the aircraft's height above the surface, flared too high, and the helicopter dropped the last 4 or 5 feet. The aircraft landed hard with little energy in the main rotor and the rotor severed the tail boom. The pilot reported that he had no other night flying time in the previous 90 days, and that there were no mechanical malfunctions involved. He also said that the landing light was operational had he chosen to use it.
Probable Cause: The pilot's inaccurate perception of altitude which resulted in an improper flare and subsequent hard landing, and non use of the landing light.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB LAX96LA326
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 13-Mar-2024 10:43 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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