LAX01FA127

the pilot's misjudged flare during an autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing. A contributing factor was the check airman's failure to demonstrate a stuck pedal maneuver prior to assigning the procedure to the pilot.

During a FAR Part 135 proficiency check ride in the helicopter, the check airman, who was an FAA inspector, gave the commercial pilot a stuck pedal situation after takeoff by blocking the left pedal slightly forward of the neutral position. Both pilots indicated the commercial pilot was unfamiliar with the maneuver, and the check airman talked the pilot through the process during the flight around the traffic pattern. The check airman told the pilot to bring the helicopter to a hover at a preselected spot, which the pilot did. The check airman then instructed the pilot to reduce power to effect a slight heading change and settle the helicopter onto the ground. The pilot reduced the engine power to idle "rapidly" and the helicopter yawed to the left. The pilot attempted an autorotational landing and flared too high resulting in a hard landing. During the hard landing, the right main landing gear failed, and the helicopter rolled onto its right side. The check airman and the pilot both reported the check airman did not brief the pilot of the maneuver prior to the flight, nor did he demonstrate the maneuver to the pilot. According to the helicopter manufacturer, stuck pedal emergency procedures are not provided in the emergency procedures section of the operating handbook, and the maneuver should be discussed first and demonstrated with neutral pedal settings.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT On March 22, 2001, at 1140 Hawaiian standard time, an Agusta A109A twin engine helicopter, N293G, made a hard landing, bounced into the air, and came to rest on its right side, at the Port Allen Airport, Hanapepe, Kauai, Hawaii. The helicopter was registered to and operated by Niihau Helicopters, Makaweli, Hawaii, under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 as an Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 135.293 check ride. The commercial pilot and the check airman, who was an FAA inspector, were not injured. The helicopter sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the local area flight. The flight departed Robinson Ranch, a private helipad on the island of Niihau, about 1120, and was scheduled to terminate there. Check Airman Statement According to the check airman's written statement, he provided the pilot with a preflight briefing "as to the conduct of the check ride." He informed the pilot they would be performing a confined area takeoff and landing, settling with power demonstration, pinnacle operations, an instrument competency check, simulated emergency procedures, and engine failures. The check airman said the pilot "seemed well versed in the aircraft systems and emergency procedures." The check airman then elected to give the pilot a "stuck left pedal" situation to test the pilot's ability to determine the difference between an anti-torque failure and a stuck pedal scenario. The check airman blocked the anti-torque pedals with the "left pedal slightly forward of neutral." The pilot "seemed a bit unfamiliar with the currently accepted procedure," and the check airmen "explained his options on the approach so that he may make an informed decision and take appropriate action." When the helicopter came to a 5- to 6-foot hover, the check airman informed the pilot he could either make a "slight reduction of power and slight pitch increase to allow the aircraft to settle to the ground without going into an uncontrollable spin," or "go around." The pilot was also told that only enough power should be reduced "to effect a slight heading change and that it should be done very slowly." According to the check airman, the pilot "reached for the power levers and started to very slowly reduce the power and then suddenly, without warning, snapped both power levers to the idle detent." The pilot then initiated a hovering auto rotation and "retook control of the pedals." The check airman "removed [his] feet from the pedals immediately." The helicopter yawed to the left about 60 to 70 degrees before the pilot stopped the yaw with right pedal input. The check airman indicated the pilot started "pulling collective immediately rather [than] waiting until 2 feet above the ground," and he continued to monitor the situation. About 2 feet off the ground, the check airman realized the pilot had pulled too much pitch too soon," and they would hit the ground hard. The helicopter impacted the ground, bounced into the air slightly, and "suddenly rolled right," striking the ground with the main rotor blades. The check airman stated he did not provide a preflight description to the pilot concerning the "stuck pedal" maneuver. Pilot Statement According to the pilot's written statement, the check airman briefed him on the intended maneuvers and added, "he had something new to show [the pilot]." After completing the maneuvers and a few engine out procedures, the check airman held the left pedal in an offset position during takeoff to simulate a stuck left pedal emergency. The pilot removed his feet from the pedals and flew the traffic pattern with the pedal held by the check airman. As the pilot set up for the simulated emergency landing with the stuck pedal, the check airman explained a "new way to handle this type of emergency situation." The check airman told the pilot to pick a spot on the runway adjacent to the windsock and to bring the helicopter to a hover above that spot. Though the pilot was "totally unfamiliar" with the procedure, the check airman was talking him through the approach. The check airman instructed the pilot to reduce airspeed and increase collective pitch as the helicopter neared the selected spot. The helicopter arrived over the spot approximately 15- 20 feet above the runway. The check airman instructed the pilot to increase the collective pitch in order to keep the nose of the helicopter straight. Approximately 10 feet above the ground, the check airman told the pilot to reach up and "pull the throttle back in order to let the [helicopter] settle to the ground." As the pilot reduced the power, the helicopter "made a violent 180-degree turn to the left, and the main rotor rpm quickly bled off, and [the pilot and check airman] struggled with the controls to stabilize the [helicopter]." The helicopter landed hard on its right main landing gear, which collapsed, allowing the helicopter to roll over on the right side. The check airman shutoff the engines, and the pilot turned off the electrical power. In an additional statement provided by the pilot, he added that during the downwind leg of the last traffic pattern, the check airman told the pilot to remove his feet from the pedals. The pilot said he did so and could not remember if or when he placed his feet back on the pedals. He stated that at the time he reduced the engine power, he only had his right hand on the cyclic and the "check airman was fully on the [helicopter] controls." The pilot stated he was not familiar with the maneuver, the check airman had not demonstrated the maneuver, and it had not been explained to him prior to the flight check. Witness Statements Two witnesses were standing at the west end of the runway. One witness stated his attention was drawn to the helicopter because he heard the engines "slowing down." The other witness stated his attention was drawn to the helicopter because it was "looking funny." Both witnesses observed the helicopter fall from about 10 feet. The helicopter bounced up "slightly," and then rolled over onto its side. PERSONNEL INFORMATION Pilot Information The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with airplane single engine land, helicopter, and instrument airplane and helicopter ratings. He also held a flight instructor certificate for helicopters. The pilot indicated he had logged a total of 7,500 hours of flight time, of which 7,100 hours were flown in helicopters, and 300 hours were flown in the same make and model as the accident helicopter. His last flight review was conducted on March 17, 2000. The pilot was issued a second-class medical certificate on September 20, 2000, with no limitations. Check Airmen Information The check airmen held an airline transport pilot certificate with airplane single engine land, airplane multiengine land, helicopter, and instrument airplane and helicopter ratings. He also held a flight instructor certificate for airplane single engine land, airplane multiengine land, helicopter, and instrument airplanes. The check airmen reported he had logged 12,000-plus hours of total flight time, of which 3,000-plus hours were accumulated in rotorcraft and 9.5 hours were accumulated in the same make and model as the accident helicopter. He was issued a second-class medical certificate on April 13, 2000, with a limitation to wear corrective lenses. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION The Augusta A109A utilizes a counterclockwise rotating main rotor system (when viewed from above). During operations with higher power, more left anti-torque pedal is needed to offset the fuselage's right turning tendency produced by the torque from the main rotor system. The manufacturer reported that the stuck pedal maneuver, as performed, was not an authorized or approved maneuver in the A109A. An anti-torque system failure should be briefed prior t