Bell 47G N6746D accident near Groveland, Florida

Probable cause

The student pilot's improper cyclic input after a reported hydraulic failure, the reason for which could not be determined, and his failure to follow the emergency procedures, which resulted in a hard landing.

NTSB analysis

The student pilot reported that, during landing, the helicopter experienced a hydraulic failure. He added that he "overreacted" by making multiple commands to the cyclic, which resulted in a tail strike, followed by a hard landing and roll-over. The helicopter caught fire, and the student egressed through the left door. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and tailboom. According to Federal Aviation Administration inspectors who interviewed the pilot immediately following the accident, the pilot stated that he overreacted and that he did not accomplish the helicopter manufacturer's Hydraulic Failure emergency procedure because he "didn't want to let go of the cyclic or the collective to turn off the hydraulic pressure switch." The hydraulic pump and the hydraulic lines were damaged during the postaccident fire; therefore, the reason for the reported hydraulic failure could not be determined.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for GAA20CA062 for the full record.