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CEN24LA377

2024-09-30 · Manvel, Texas, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport 3T2

Current FAA registration · N8372F

Make / Model
MCDONNELL DOUGLAS HELICOPTER 369E
Year of manufacture
1991 · 33 years old at event
Engine
ALLISON 250-C20 SER (420 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19910915
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S AB74FF

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s improper recovery from a practice autorotation which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the instructor’s inadequate supervision of the pilot receiving instruction.

Factual narrative

During an instructional flight, the operator reported that during the practice autorotation, the pilot receiving instruction held the flare for too long and did not level the helicopter before touchdown. The helicopter landed hard and struck the tail on the ground which resulted in substantial damage to the empennage, tail boom, and tail rotor drive system. The operator reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions of 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.

  • — Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Incorrect action performance-Student/instructed pilot
  • — Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Pitch control-Incorrect use/operation
  • — Personnel issues-Psychological-Attention/monitoring-Monitoring other person-Instructor/check pilot

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2024_CEN24LA377.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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