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A rotary winged helicopter pilot loses rotor RPM and makes a hard landing. His cyclic control becomes separated from the cyclic stick. The aircraft was a 'mini 500.'
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 412763 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199808 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : hbg |
| State Reference | MS |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 10 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Helicopter |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 1 |
| ASRS Report | 412763 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical conflict : ground critical non adherence : far other anomaly other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : insufficient time |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
During hover flight in an experimental mini 500 helicopter, I lost rotor RPM and landed hard. The main rotor struck the tail boom and caused damage to tail boom and rotor blades. Contributing to the mishap, the cyclic grip separated from the cyclic stick, allowing the cyclic to go full aft. After the fact, I discovered that the builder had kept the airworthiness and maintenance records, making the helicopter illegal. I had also thought that the new owner could perform maintenance on his experimental aircraft. This is not true. I learned that only the builder can and only if he has a repairman certificate. The purpose for the NASA report is my confusion on experimental aircraft. (This has been reported to the FAA as an incident.)
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A ROTARY WINGED HELI PLT LOSES ROTOR RPM AND MAKES A HARD LNDG. HIS CYCLIC CTL BECOMES SEPARATED FROM THE CYCLIC STICK. THE ACFT WAS A 'MINI 500.'
Narrative: DURING HOVER FLT IN AN EXPERIMENTAL MINI 500 HELI, I LOST ROTOR RPM AND LANDED HARD. THE MAIN ROTOR STRUCK THE TAIL BOOM AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO TAIL BOOM AND ROTOR BLADES. CONTRIBUTING TO THE MISHAP, THE CYCLIC GRIP SEPARATED FROM THE CYCLIC STICK, ALLOWING THE CYCLIC TO GO FULL AFT. AFTER THE FACT, I DISCOVERED THAT THE BUILDER HAD KEPT THE AIRWORTHINESS AND MAINT RECORDS, MAKING THE HELI ILLEGAL. I HAD ALSO THOUGHT THAT THE NEW OWNER COULD PERFORM MAINT ON HIS EXPERIMENTAL ACFT. THIS IS NOT TRUE. I LEARNED THAT ONLY THE BUILDER CAN AND ONLY IF HE HAS A REPAIRMAN CERTIFICATE. THE PURPOSE FOR THE NASA RPT IS MY CONFUSION ON EXPERIMENTAL ACFT. (THIS HAS BEEN RPTED TO THE FAA AS AN INCIDENT.)
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.