Ardmore Downtown Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402
Friday, May 26, 1989 17:15 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACFT WAS DAMAGED AS A RESULT OF A HARD LNDG DURING A PRACTICE TOUCHDOWN AUTOROTATION THAT WAS BEING DEMONSTRATED BY THE CFI TO THE STUDENT PLT. WINDS HAD INCREASED DURING THE INSTRUCTIONAL FLT TO THE PT THAT THE STUDENT WAS HAVING A HARD TIME CONTROLLING THE ACFT, WHEN THE CFI DECIDED TO DEMONSTARTE AUTOROTATIONS. DURING THE 2ND AUTO, THE ACFT DEVELOPED A HIGH SINK RATE DURING FINAL DESCENT WHICH THE CFI COULD NOT ARREST PRIOR TO THE HARD LANDING. THE CFI STATED THAT THE WINDS WERE NORTHERLY AT 13 KTS GUSTONG TO 21 KTS AND THAT HE FELT THEY CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR FAILED TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS DEVELOPING A DANGEROUS SINK RATE DURING THE AUTOROTATION AND TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION BY EXECUTING A POWER RECOVERY. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/26/1989
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1715
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City ARDMORE
Event State OKLAHOMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 73402
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ARDMORE DOWNTOWN
Event Location Nearest Airport ID IFO
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 844
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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 1500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 350
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 21
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) 1000
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 27 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 930
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39162
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:40PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2202C
NTSB Number FTW89LA104
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 47D-1
Aircraft Series Identifier 47D-1
Aircraft Serial Number M-1
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 20 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 21
Airframe Hours 3434
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name VERSATILE AVIATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1333 LAKE MURRY DR.
Aircraft Owner City ARDMORE
Aircraft Owner State OK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 73402
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 1FO
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1700
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 1FO
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 --