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LAX07CA229

2007-07-24 · Boise, Idaho, United States · Minor · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport BOI

N147SH has since been reassigned. It is now registered to a different aircraft (CESSNA 185D), which was not involved in this event.

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The student pilot's failure to maintain rotor rpm resulting in an excessive descent rate and a hard landing. Factors in the accident were the student's failure to relinquish the controls, and the CFI's inadequate supervision.

Factual narrative

The flight instructor reported that during their fifth practice autorotation, the student let the rotor rpm decay to the point that the CFI attempted to intercede and perform a run on landing. The student and CFI both struggled with each other on the controls until the helicopter hit the ground hard. During the impact sequence, the helicopter spun around, and ultimately came to rest on the left side. The flight instructor reported that during their fifth practice autorotation, the student let the rotor rpm decay to the point that the certified flight instructor (CFI) attempted to intercede and perform a run on landing. The student and CFI both struggled with each other on the controls until the helicopter hit the ground hard. During the impact sequence, the helicopter spun around, and ultimately came to rest on the left side. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2007_LAX07CA229.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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