SIDNEY, OH, USA
N9115R
BELL 47D1
The student pilot stated that he was making a steep approach, with a tailwind, to a soybean field. He reported that he failed to arrest the rate of descent and the helicopter made a hard landing. The CFI stated that he '...got on the controls...' with the dual student at about 10 to 30 feet above the ground, but the aircraft continued to descend. The instructor stated that there was no mechanical malfunction and that both pilots were at the controls at the time of the accident.
On August 22, 1995, at 1330 eastern daylight time, a Bell BH47D1 helicopter, N9115R, touched down hard while landing in a soybean field near Sidney, Ohio. The certificated flight instructor (CFI) and dual student were not injured. The helicopter sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR 91, and originated from Urbana, Ohio, exact time unknown. The student pilot reported that he made a steep approach, with a tailwind, to a spot in a soybean field. He stated that when the helicopter was about 10 feet above the ground, both he and the CFI attempted to "...pull more pitch..." to arrest the rate of descent but they were unsuccessful. The helicopter touched down hard and the main rotor blades severed the tail boom. The CFI stated that the student pilot was at the controls making a steep approach into his field. He stated, "The approach was coming up short and I instructed [the student] to level the ship...he increased collective but the aircraft continued to descend...at about 30 feet AGL I got on the controls and applied more up collective, the aircraft continued to descend...until ground contact was made." The instructor stated that there was no mechanical malfunction, and that both pilots were at the controls at the time of the accident.
the student pilot's abrupt touchdown while landing in a field. Related factors are the student pilot's failure to attain the proper descent rate during the approach to landing, and the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the student.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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