Boise Air Terminal /Gowen Fld/ Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Boise, Idaho 83705
Saturday, August 27, 2005 14:45 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The instructor pilot reported that he and the student pilot were practicing power recovery autorotations at the Boise airport. During the tenth practice autorotation, with the student pilot on the controls, the instructor noted a lower than normal main rotor RPM (approximately 94 percent) and elected to take the controls in an effort to make the necessary inputs to recover from the maneuver. The instructor pilot reported that during the transition (approximately 60 feet agl), there was a "struggle" for the controls and corrective action was delayed resulting in a hard landing and substantial damage to the helicopter. The instructor pilot stated that he does not recall verbalizing the transfer of control to the student pilot.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Inadequate communications between the certified flight instructor and student pilot, and the student pilot's delay in relinquishing controls resulting in a hard landing during a practice autorotation.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/27/2005
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1445
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Boise
Event State IDAHO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 83705
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 433352N
Event Location Longitude 1161322W
Event Location Airport BOISE AIR TERMINAL /GOWEN FLD/
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BOI
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0.025
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Unknown
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 --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency --
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 18842
NTSB Notification Source faa-roc
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Dec 20 2005 6:27AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N845SH
NTSB Number SEA05CA182
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
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 --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Robinson
Aircraft Model R22 Beta
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 3825
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Silver State Helicopters, LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Las Vegas
Aircraft Owner State NV
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 89032
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
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 BOI
Departure City BOISE
Departure State ID
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code BOI
Destination City Boise
Destination State ID
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 14 2005 3:53PM
User who most recently changed record STAM
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --