Bht2 Training Strip Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hurst, Texas 76053
Thursday, May 21, 1998 15:18 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During an autorotation, the helicopter landed hard. The flight instructor was demonstrating an autorotation with a 180 degree turn to Lane 4, at the Bell Helicopter Hurst Heliport. At approximately 100 feet AGL, the flight instructor determined a power recovery was necessary, and at about 50 to 70 feet he increased the throttle to full on; however, the engine did not respond. As the autorotation continued, the instructor 'continued to try and get the throttle and engine to respond.' The helicopter touched down on the end of Lane 4, bounced and veered off of the lane 45 degrees to the right. The helicopter then touched down in the grass bouncing two more times before coming to a stop upright about 70 feet from the end of the lane. The instructor reported that as the aircraft bounced and ran through the grass he 'felt [the] engine begin to spool and [he] closed the throttle to idle.' The aircraft's engine was inspected and returned to service.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's delayed recovery from a simulated autorotative landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/21/1998
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1518
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City HURST
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 76053
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BHT2 TRAINING STRIP
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 2F2
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 524
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1518 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 10
Weather Observation Facility ID DFW
Elevation of weather observation facility 524
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 270
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1500
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) 9
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 33
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 2857
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) 731
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 21 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1650
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 11:20AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N206TA
NTSB Number FTW98LA235
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 206BIII
Aircraft Series Identifier 206BIII
Aircraft Serial Number 4463
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 Apr 21 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 65
Airframe Hours 536
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TEXTRON FINANCIAL CORPORATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address 9001 AIRPORT FWY STE 800
Aircraft Owner City FORT WORTH
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76180
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 482
Operator City FORT WORTH
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 76101
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 2F2
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1500
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --