Indiantown Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Indiantown, Florida 34956
Friday, May 19, 2006 15:05 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The private certificated helicopter pilot reported to the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC) that he had practiced two or three autorotations at a grass/turf covered runway that terminated with a power recovery to a hover during a CFR Part 91 personal flight. He decided to perform a touch-down autorotation, and said that he pulled excessive collective pitch during the termination of the maneuver, and accelerated too much while leveling the helicopter at the conclusion of the deceleration flare. The helicopter touched down hard and tilted forward onto its nose, the forward portion of the right skid tube fractured, and the main rotor blades struck the ground and the tailboom.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A hard landing and subsequent nose down when the helicopter pilot misjudged the landing flare during a touchdown autorotation.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/19/2006
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1505
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Indiantown
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 34956
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 270211N
Event Location Longitude 0802624W
Event Location Airport Indiantown
Event Location Nearest Airport ID X58
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
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 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 Docket Number (internal use) 20287
NTSB Notification Source FAA Regional Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Oct 3 2006 2:46PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N14MY
NTSB Number ANC06CA057
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 R-44
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 1149
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 Henry A. Perry
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Tequesta
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Henry A. Perry
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Tequesta
Operator State FL
Operator Country USA
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board --
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SUA
Departure City Stuart
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code X58
Destination City Indiantown
Destination State FL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 21 2006 7:52PM
User who most recently changed record LABJ
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 31
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --