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Pilot of an small transport helicopter struck the tail rotor during approach to landing in a field causing a forced landing because of tail rotor hub damage.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 332433 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199603 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : 1s4 |
| State Reference | OR |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 0 msl bound upper : 700 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Helicopter |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | other other : other pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 36 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 15 |
| ASRS Report | 332433 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | observation : company check pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : ground critical other anomaly other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | faa : investigated Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
FAA examiner asked for 'confined space landing.' space had trees on far side, brush on near side of adequate landing area. Skinny tree branch 2 ft above brush, contacted tail rotor. Tail rotor cap partially separated, contacted bottom of horizontal stabilizer. Controled landing okay. Excess vibration made departure marginally acceptable, elected to not fly out. Second helicopter flew in, mechanic installed replacement tail rotor tip, balanced, and flew out, both aircraft okay. If FAA wants a 'corporate' type (as opposed to 'bush pilot') to demonstrate confined area landing, he should ask for a demonstration with imaginary obstacles, at an airport first. The FAA examiner stated he felt the approach was too fast and would require steep flair, lowering tail too much. 'Corporate' pilots are trained to keep speed up. Bush pilots know you must go slow and virtually vertical -- bad form in non-confined areas. Human factor -- better coordination between 'crew members,' ie, FAA examiner and pilot!!
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF AN SMT HELI STRUCK THE TAIL ROTOR DURING APCH TO LNDG IN A FIELD CAUSING A FORCED LNDG BECAUSE OF TAIL ROTOR HUB DAMAGE.
Narrative: FAA EXAMINER ASKED FOR 'CONFINED SPACE LNDG.' SPACE HAD TREES ON FAR SIDE, BRUSH ON NEAR SIDE OF ADEQUATE LNDG AREA. SKINNY TREE BRANCH 2 FT ABOVE BRUSH, CONTACTED TAIL ROTOR. TAIL ROTOR CAP PARTIALLY SEPARATED, CONTACTED BOTTOM OF HORIZ STABILIZER. CTLED LNDG OKAY. EXCESS VIBRATION MADE DEP MARGINALLY ACCEPTABLE, ELECTED TO NOT FLY OUT. SECOND HELI FLEW IN, MECH INSTALLED REPLACEMENT TAIL ROTOR TIP, BALANCED, AND FLEW OUT, BOTH ACFT OKAY. IF FAA WANTS A 'CORPORATE' TYPE (AS OPPOSED TO 'BUSH PLT') TO DEMONSTRATE CONFINED AREA LNDG, HE SHOULD ASK FOR A DEMONSTRATION WITH IMAGINARY OBSTACLES, AT AN ARPT FIRST. THE FAA EXAMINER STATED HE FELT THE APCH WAS TOO FAST AND WOULD REQUIRE STEEP FLAIR, LOWERING TAIL TOO MUCH. 'CORPORATE' PLTS ARE TRAINED TO KEEP SPD UP. BUSH PLTS KNOW YOU MUST GO SLOW AND VIRTUALLY VERT -- BAD FORM IN NON-CONFINED AREAS. HUMAN FACTOR -- BETTER COORD BTWN 'CREW MEMBERS,' IE, FAA EXAMINER AND PLT!!
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.