Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Troy, Texas 76579
Thursday, August 5, 2004 15:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The 10,120-hour flight instructor was demonstrating autorotations when the helicopter landed hard and bounced back into the air, as the main rotor blades struck the tail boom. As the helicopter started to rotate, the throttle was reduced and the helicopter landed upright in a field. The flight instructor further stated the wind after the accident was from 350 degrees, approximately 10 knots. Weather reported near the time of the accident was wind from 040 degrees at 6 knots, visibility 10 statue miles, sky condition clear, temperature 84 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 70 degrees Fahrenheit, and an altimeter setting of 29.94 inches of Mercury. The density altitude was calculated by the NTSB investigator-in-charge to be 2,485 feet mean sea level.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The flight instructor's improper flare, resulting in a hard landing. A contributing factor was the high density altitude.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/5/2004
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1545
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Troy
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 76579
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 311740N
Event Location Longitude 0971749W
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 --
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 41
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 16508
NTSB Notification Source FAA Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date Aug 6 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Oct 28 2004 10:11AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office San Antonio, Texas

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N47713
NTSB Number FTW04CA207
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Bell
Aircraft Model 47G-3B-1
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 2954
Certified Max Gross Weight 2850
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 May 18 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 93.6
Airframe Hours 9257.7
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Tumbleweed Aviation LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2282 Megan Road
Aircraft Owner City Jackson
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 70748
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Brazos Helicopters LLC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 16146 S. IH-35
Operator City Bruceville
Operator State TX
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 76630
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 --
Departure City McCleannian Co.
Departure State TX
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1445
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Temple
Destination State TX
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred Yes
Date of most recent change to record Sep 16 2004 1:22PM
User who most recently changed record JOHB
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --