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CEN14CA513

2014-09-22 · Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport GFK

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The flight instructor's inadequate supervision and delayed remedial action during a practice autorotation, which resulted in a tail rotor strike.

Factual narrative

The pilot receiving instruction was performing a practice 180-degree autorotation. Just prior to touchdown, the flight instructor perceived an abrupt loss in altitude, followed by a hard landing and tail rotor strike, which substantially damaged the tail rotor. The flight instructor reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot receiving instruction was performing a practice 180-degree autorotation. Just prior to touchdown, the flight instructor perceived an abrupt loss in altitude, followed by a hard landing and tail rotor strike, which substantially damaged the tail rotor. The flight instructor reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Landing flare-Not attained/maintained - C
  • C Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Delayed action-Instructor/check pilot - C
  • C Personnel issues-Psychological-Attention/monitoring-Monitoring other person-Instructor/check pilot - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2014_CEN14CA513.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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