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BFO88LA076

1988-08-27 · GAITHERSBURG, Maryland, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport GAI

Aircraft involved

Factual narrative

THE FLT WAS INITIATED WITH THE STUDENT PLT BRINGING THE HELICOPTER UP TO A HOVER WITH SOME FORWARD SPEED. THE STUDENT RAPIDLY AND FORCEFULLY APPLIED AFT CYCLIC. THE CFI WAS UNABLE TO COMPENSATE IN TIME, EVEN THOUGH HE WAS ON THE CONTROLS WITH THE STUDENT. THE STUDENT DID NOT RELINQUISH THE CONTROLS. THE MAIN ROTOR CONTACTED AND SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM. PARTIAL CONTROL WAS LOST BUT THE CFI WAS ABLE TO REDUCE THE THROTTLE AND ENTER AN AUTOROTATION FROM APRX 6 FT AGL. THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST ON ITS SKIDS. THE STUDENT HAD ONLY 5 HRS FLT EXPERIENCE, ALL IN THE R22. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1988_BFO88LA076.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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