Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sidney, Ohio 45365
Tuesady, August 22, 1995 13:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The student pilot stated that he was making a steep approach, with a tailwind, to a soybean field. He reported that he failed to arrest the rate of descent and the helicopter made a hard landing. The CFI stated that he '...got on the controls...' with the dual student at about 10 to 30 feet above the ground, but the aircraft continued to descend. The instructor stated that there was no mechanical malfunction and that both pilots were at the controls at the time of the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the student pilot's abrupt touchdown while landing in a field. Related factors are the student pilot's failure to attain the proper descent rate during the approach to landing, and the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the student.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/22/1995
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1330
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City SIDNEY
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 45365
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 8
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Witness
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 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1361
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 22 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1558
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:29PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9115R
NTSB Number BFO95LA084
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 BELL
Aircraft Model 47D1
Aircraft Series Identifier 47D1
Aircraft Serial Number 93
Certified Max Gross Weight 2350
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 3
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 13 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 34
Airframe Hours 3926
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROGER N. ELY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5607 STATE RTE 29
Aircraft Owner City SIDNEY
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 45365
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 No
Departure Airport Code I74
Departure City URBANA
Departure State OH
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code PVT
Destination City
Destination State OH
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 --