LACONIA, NH, USA
N51699
ENSTROM F-28C
THE PLT RPRTD HE WAS DEMONSTRATING A FULL TOUCHDOWN AUTOROTATION IN WINDS THAT WERE FROM 290 DEG AT 15 GUSTING 20 KTS. HE STATED THE TOUCHDOWN WAS SOFT WITH A LOT OF PITCH PULLED IN; HOWEVER, AS HE LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE RETREATING BLADE FLEXED DOWNWARD & SEVERED THE AFT PORTION OF THE TAIL BOOM & THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT. THE PLT BELIEVED HE HAD LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE TOO FAST AFTER TOUCHDOWN, WHICH WOULD HAVE ALLOWED THE BLADES TO FLAP DOWNWARD. ALSO, HE BELIEVED THE HIGH WIND & REDUCED RPM FROM THE AUTOROTATION WOULD HAVE ATTRIBUTED TO EXCESSIVE FLAPPING OF THE RETREATING ROTOR BLADES.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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