Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Agua Dulce, California 91350
Sunday, February 27, 1994 11:00 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE CFI WAS DEMONSTRATING A HOVERING AUTOROTATION TO THE DUAL STUDENT. BEFORE BEGINNING THE AUTOROTATION, THE CFI FAILED TO ASSURE THE LANDING SURFACE WAS HARD PACKED AND NOT SOFT. WHEN THE HELICOPTER WAS BETWEEN 3- AND 5-FEET SKID HEIGHT ABOVE THE GROUND, THE CFI CLOSED THE THROTTLE AND LANDED STRAIGHT AHEAD. THE HELICOPTER SLID ABOUT 5 FEET BEFORE THE LANDING SKIDS DUG INTO THE SOFT TERRAIN, NOSING THE HELICOPTER DOWN. THE HELICOPTER'S MAIN ROTOR BLADES SEVERED THE TAILBOOM ASSEMBLY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE CFI'S SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN TO DEMONSTRATE A SIMULATED AUTOROTATION. THE SOFT TERRAIN WAS A FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/27/1994
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1100
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City AGUA DULCE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 91350
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 2200
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 218
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 27 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1343
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 10:41AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N50PE
NTSB Number LAX94LA139
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 206B
Aircraft Series Identifier 206B
Aircraft Serial Number 1992
Certified Max Gross Weight 3200
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 5
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 19 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 34
Airframe Hours 7128
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LENNOX AVIATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4441 LENNOX AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City SHERMAN OAKS
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91423
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HELINET, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 16644 ROSCOE BOULEVARD
Operator City VAN NUYS
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 91406
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 No
Departure Airport Code VNY
Departure City VAN NUYS
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 930
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --