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MKC83FA073

1983-02-25 · COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa, United States · Minor · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport CBF

Aircraft involved

Factual narrative

THE STUDENT, WHO WAS A RATED HELICOPTER PLT, AND A HELICOPTER INSTRUCTOR (CFI) WERE ON A DUAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLT. AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRCREW REMAINED IN A RIGHT TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR RWY 13 , INTENDING FOR THE STUDENT TO MAKE A 180 DEG AUTOROTATION TO A PARALLEL TAXIWAY. THE STUDENT OVERSHOT THE AUTOROTATIVE TURN & THE CFI INSTRUCTED HIM TO CONTINUE THE APCH TO A GRASS AREA BETWEEN THE TAXIWAY & RWY. THE CFI REPORTED THAT THE TOUCHDOWN WAS SMOOTH WITH ZERO AIRSPEED. HOWEVER, THE HELICOPTER BEGAN VIBRATING & TURNED TO THE LEFT. REPORTEDLY, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES HAD SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1983_MKC83FA073.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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