Dillant-Hopkins Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Keene, New Hampshire 03431
Monday, March 27, 2000 14:00 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The CFI was providing flight instruction to the commercial pilot, who was training for a CFI rating. While practicing an auto-rotation, the commercial pilot landed hard. The helicopter's main rotor severed the tail boom, and the helicopter rolled onto its left side. The CFI stated he failed to react soon enough to prevent the accident. The CFI reported 1,180 hours of total flight experience, of which 497 hours were in rotorcraft, with 279 hours in the make and model of the accident helicopter. Additionally, the CFI reported 40 hours of flight time as a flight instructor.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The CFI's failure to perform remedial action in a timely manner which resulted in a hard landing during the practice autorotation. A factor in this accident was the CFI's lack of total experience as a flight instructor.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/27/2000
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City KEENE
Event State NEW HAMPSHIRE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 03431
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DILLANT-HOPKINS AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID EEN
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 488
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1355 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID EEN
Elevation of weather observation facility 488
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4700
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 19
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 88
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 28 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 830
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 1:30PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2260W
NTSB Number NYC00LA105
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Robinson
Aircraft Model R-22B
Aircraft Series Identifier R-22B
Aircraft Serial Number 0501
Certified Max Gross Weight 1370
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GREEN RIVER AVIATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address AVIATION WAY
Aircraft Owner City KEENE
Aircraft Owner State NH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 03431
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code EEN
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1330
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 20
Runway Length 6201
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --