NORTH HIGHLANDS, CA, USA
N8651F
HUGHES 269C
THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO CONDUCT A ROTORCRAFT/HELICOPTER CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) CHECK RIDE FOR THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND (PIC). THE CHECK PILOT WAS AN FAA INSPECTOR WITH NO PREVIOUS FLIGHT TIME IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL; HOWEVER, HE HAD 1816 HRS TOTAL TIME WITH 78 HRS HELICOPTER TIME PRIMARILY IN BELL 47 & 206 AIRCRAFT. THE FIRST PART OF THE CHECK FLIGHT WAS NORMAL EXCEPT WHEN IT WAS INTERUPTED FOR POLICE WORK. DURING THE COURSE OF THE CHECK FLIGHT, THE EXAMINER CHOPPED THE POWER TO SIMULATE AN EMERGENCY AS THE PIC WAS CLIMBING THROUGH ABOUT 285 FT AGL AT 42 KTS. THE PIC STATED THAT HE LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE & THE NEEDLES SPLIT. THERE WAS A LOSS OF ROTOR RPM. HE PUT THE HELICOPTER IN A DIVE & ROLLED THE THROTTLE ON IN INCREMENTS, BUT COULD NOT GET THE NEEDLES TO MARRY. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE HELICOPTER STRUCK THE GROUND ON THE HEEL OF THE LEFT SKID, THEN ROLLED OVER. NO PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION/FAILURE FOUND.ACCORDING TO THE 269C HEIGHT/VELOCITY DIAGRAM, THE EXAMINER CHOPPED THE POWER CLOSE TO THE MINIMUM LIMITS FOR SPEED/ALT.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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