Comanche Ranch Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Eagle Pass, Texas 78834
Wednesday, October 23, 2013 15:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The instructor pilot provided instruction to the private pilot and conducted practice autorotation landings. The instructor pilot demonstrated an autorotation and during the landing the helicopter slid on the skids for about 10-15 feet before the skids dug into the soft landing surface. The helicopter began to pitch nose down so both pilots applied aft cyclic and up collective. The helicopter continued to pitch nose down when the main rotor impacted the ground, which resulted in the helicopter rolling on its right side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor blades, fuselage, and tail boom. The instructor pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The abnormal contact of the helicopter's skids with the landing surface, which resulted in a rollover.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/23/2013
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Eagle Pass
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 78834
Event Date Year 2013
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 283714N
Event Location Longitude 1000923W
Event Location Airport COMANCHE RANCH
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 5TE0
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 5944
Degrees magnetic from airport 85
Airport Elevation 734
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1455 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 31
Weather Observation Facility ID KUVA
Elevation of weather observation facility 942
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 41
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
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) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.14
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KUVA 231955Z AUTO 18006KT 10SM CLR 26/05 A30
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) 32142
NTSB Notification Source FAA ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 14 2013 4:58PM
User who most recently changed record linj-i
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1CR
NTSB Number CEN14CA016
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 AMERICAN EUROCOPTER CORP
Aircraft Model AS350B3
Aircraft Series Identifier B3e
Aircraft Serial Number 7316
Certified Max Gross Weight 4961
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 2
Cabin Crew Seats 4
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Oct 21 2013 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 192
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name FRIEDKIN COMPANIES INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City HOUSTON
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 770772026
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name FRIEDKIN COMPANIES INC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City HOUSTON
Operator State TX
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 770772026
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code 5TE0
Departure City Eagle Pass
Departure State TX
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1330
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 5TE0
Destination City Eagle Pass
Destination State TX
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 14 2013 4:58PM
User who most recently changed record linj-i
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --