NTSB CAROL · Event
Event GAA15CA221
Registry · N74823
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
BELL 47D1
Year of manufacture
1953 · 62 years old at event
TCDS
H-1 · SCOTT'S-BELL 47 INC
Engine
FRANKLIN 6V4 SERIES (210 hp)
Seats / Engines
3 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19660418
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S AA12FC
Registrant of record
TOBLER HANS P
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
The student pilot's abrupt cyclic and collective inputs during the approach to land which resulted in abnormal runway contact and a subsequent tail boom strike by the main rotor blades.
Factual narrative
The flight instructor reported that while conducting an approach to landing, terminating at a three foot hover, the student pilot "pulled back on the cyclic and dumped collective", which caused the main rotor blades to contact the tail boom after the helicopter impacted the ground "hard". The flight instructor reported there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail boom and to the empennage. The flight instructor reported that while conducting an approach to landing, terminating at a three foot hover, the student pilot "pulled back on the cyclic and dumped collective", which caused the main rotor blades to contact the tail boom after the helicopter impacted the ground "hard". The flight instructor reported there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail boom and to the empennage. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12
NTSB Findings
Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).
- C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Student/instructed pilot - C
- C Aircraft-Aircraft propeller/rotor-Main rotor system-Main rotor blade system-Incorrect use/operation - C
- C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Pitch control-Not attained/maintained - C
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_2015_GAA15CA221.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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