Bell 206L 3 N127AE accident near Chesterfield, Missouri

Probable cause

The collision of the helicopter's skid shoe with the runway centerline light during landing, which abruptly stopped the helicopter and resulted in damage to the fuselage.

NTSB analysis

The commercial pilot and flight instructor were conducting recurrent pilot training in the helicopter. They reported that the pilot was performing a practice run-on landing, during which the helicopter touched down about 5 knots and just right of the runway centerline. After skidding about 10 yards, the helicopter struck a recessed runway centerline light and then came to a stop. Examination of the light revealed that it had been struck at the leading edge of a plate that protected the light element.

The helicopter had skid shoes attached to the bottom of the skid tubes, and each shoe projected down a short distance, creating a vertical lip on the bottom of the skid. Examination of the helicopter revealed damage to the underside of the fuselage in the area where the left skid was mounted, consistent with excessive rearward force acting on the skid. Based on the available evidence, it is likely that the vertical lip on one of the skid shoes contacted the leading edge of the plate on the centerline light, which abruptly stopped the helicopter.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN15LA229 for the full record.