Vero Beach Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Vero Beach, Florida 32960
Wednesday, February 12, 1986 9:20 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING AUTO-ROTATION PRACTICE, THE CFI PASSED CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER TO THE STUDENT PLT. AT APRX 10 FT ABOVE THE GROUND, THE CFI ATTEMPTED TO APPLY CORRECTIVE ACTION WHEN IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THE ACFT WAS GOING TO MAKE A HARD LANDING. THE ATTEMPT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL, AND THE TAIL ROTOR STRUCK THE GROUND. THE CFI STATED THAT PERHAPS HE HAD WAITED A LITTLE TOO LONG BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO REASSUME CONTROL OF THE ACFT FROM THE STUDENT PLT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/12/1986
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 920
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City VERO BEACH
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32960
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport VERO BEACH
Event Location Nearest Airport ID VRB
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 24
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 850 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID VRB
Elevation of weather observation facility 24
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 8
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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) 310
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 12 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1127
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 30610
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N58275
NTSB Number MIA86LA074
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 HUGHES
Aircraft Model 269C
Aircraft Series Identifier 269C
Aircraft Serial Number 1190849
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
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 AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Feb 4 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 8
Airframe Hours 1576
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FLIGHT SAFETY INTERNATIONAL
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 2708
Operator City VERO BEACH
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 32960
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 VRB
Departure City VERO BEACH
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 29
Runway Length 2650
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --