Troy Gentry dies in helicopter accident

[cncpc]

Something in the driveline could have seized, leading to a situation where the engine is coupled and difficult to control. A governor failure or engine malfunction could also cause fluctuations. They'll have a good idea if he had time to communicate.

It was something where he had reason to believe that he needed emergency vehicles to try the touchdown.

Some very good insights above.

[cncpc]

It's not clear from the report whether there was continuity of rotation through to the mast.

I can't remember how you shut down a 300. I expect its to pull the mixture. He'd have to do that if rolling the throttle had no effect.

He may have "stopped" the engine and started the auto when the rotor rpm dropped out of the green. It might have been impossible to get it back once that happened. Especially with no power.

I don't think I'd have been at 950 feet when that was happening. If you can be at 950, you can be at 5 feet hovering, or no?

Good excerpt here on low rotor rpm from AOPA...

Of all helicopters, light, piston-engine types get into low-rotor rpm during normal flight most often. Most turbine helicopters have fuel governing systems that normally do a good job of maintaining engine and rotor rpm, which reduces the chance of rotor rpm slipping below the normal level. If the pilot of a light, piston-engine helicopter lets low-rotor rpm develop, merely opening the throttle may not produce enough engine power to overcome the rapidly rising drag on the rotor blades. If the helicopter is close to the ground, lowering the collective may be the last thing on a pilot's mind, but simultaneously lowering the collective and applying full throttle is the only sure way to recover the lost rotor rpm.

If the helicopter is hovering relatively close to a surface not suitable for landing, a pilot can sometimes recover lost rotor rpm by "milking" the collective. The pilot maintains full throttle and repeatedly lowers the collective using small movements. This reduces the angle of attack of the rotor blades while preventing the helicopter from hitting the surface. Milking the collective can be a scary business, but you have no alternative, and this can often be enough to persuade the rotor rpm to return to the green arc.

[PilotDAR]

Yes, I've seen them and flown one with one installed. Aftermarket.

Ah, okay. Each of the two I learned in were entirely manual, and fuel injected. The engine power you got was what you controlled with the throttle - no help. When I went on to MD500's power management became much more simple.

Managing rotor RPM is the pilot's responsibility.

[cncpc]

Yes, I've seen them and flown one with one installed. Aftermarket.

Ah, okay. Each of the two I learned in were entirely manual, and fuel injected. The engine power you got was what you controlled with the throttle - no help. When I went on to MD500's power management became much more simple.

Managing rotor RPM is the pilot's responsibility.

I've found out they aren't aftermarket. They have a Schweitzer part number and are an option, either from the factory or added later. There is also an RPM limiter thingie to prevent overspeed, I think mainly on the start.

The throttle correlation was good on the 300 as I remember, and only required very small corrections from time to time. If this pilot was at a point where he had to turn the throttle, it must have been to make such a correction, and that was the non response that initiated this sequence.

[PilotDAR]

The throttle correlation was good on the 300 as I remember, and only required very small corrections from time to time.

Interesting. Both of the 300's I trained in had no correlation whatever - if you moved the collective, or a pedal, you'd better be rolling the throttle too! I wonder if the information in the accident report alludes to which configuration the subject 300 was. Perhaps if a correlated machine, the pilot was just not used to actually having to roll the throttle.

I remember doing stuck pedals in the 500, my instructor was telling me to move the governor switch up or down for torque control. I asked, can I not just roll the throttle? He said he'd never tried it, but go ahead - it worked like a charm!

[cncpc]

Good thread.

An example of getting information out there to pilots who might face this very situation in a 300.

[ruddersup?]

Wonder how much time he had in helicopters? He was hovering and waiting for emergency crew? I don't get it.
Hughes 300C is an amazing helicopter. Not sure if his was a 300CB or C?
I flew one for a couple of years and worked it hard like in very. Hard to beat and the auto is not as bad as some say. RPM is quick to get back should you try to extend your glide.