Aretz Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lafayette, Indiana 47905
Wednesday, January 17, 1990 14:15 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PRIVATE PILOT RATED HELICOPTER STUDENT WAS PERFORMING THE FIRST LANDING ON HIS FIRST SOLO HELICOPTER FLIGHT, WHILE HIS INSTRUCTOR OBSERVED FROM THE GROUND. THE HELICOPTER STUDENT REPORTED THAT HE WAS LANDING INTO 15 KNOT WINDS, AND STATED THAT THE 'AIRCRAFT WAS SET TO THE GROUND SLOWLY...(HOWEVER) I DID NOT PLACE (COLLECTIVE) FIRMLY ON THE FLOOR. AIRCRAFT WAS LIGHT ON SKIDS AIRCRAFT ROTATED LEFT...OVER CONTROL (RESULTED IN A) TAIL STRIKE...LOSS OF ANTI-TORQUE CONTROL...' THE HELICOPTER ROTATED 360 DEGREES BEFORE THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE GROUND AND THE HELICOPTER CAME TO A REST ON ITS SIDE. THE PILOT'S LOGBOOK RECORDS INDICATED 3,693 HOURS TOTAL FLIGHT TIME, INCLUDING 15 HOURS OF ROTORCRAFT EXPERIENCE. THE 15 HOURS OF ROTORCRAFT FLIGHT TIME WERE ACQUIRED IN THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT WITHIN THE 30 DAYS PRECEDING THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE HELICOPTER STUDENT'S IPROPER USE OF THE COLLECTIVE PITCH LEVER DURING THE LANDING PHASE OF FLIGHT. THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPEREINCE, THE RELATIVELY HIGH WIND, AND INADVERTENT LIFTOFF OF THE HELICOPTER WERE FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/17/1990
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1415
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City LAFAYETTE
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 47905
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ARETZ FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 3AR
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 616
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1345 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 250
Weather Observation Facility ID LAF
Elevation of weather observation facility 606
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1900
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
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) --
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 94
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 17 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40665
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:43PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N90836
NTSB Number CHI90LA067
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 47-G2
Aircraft Series Identifier 47-G2
Aircraft Serial Number JT001
Certified Max Gross Weight 2450
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Oct 2 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 41
Airframe Hours 2451
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TOWNSEND, JOHN R
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 372
Aircraft Owner City MONTICELLO
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 47960
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name TOWNSEND, JOHN R.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 372
Operator City MONTICELLO
Operator State IN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 47960
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1410
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 10:35AM
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 --