Mcdonnell Douglas Heli CO 530FF accident near Liberty Hill, Texas, August 31, 2023
On August 31, 2023 at about 1:05 pm local time, a 2012 Mcdonnell Douglas Heli CO 530FF (helicopter), registered N530JR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Liberty Hill, Texas. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper recovery from a practice autorotation resulting in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the instructor’s inadequate supervision of the pilot receiving instruction.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 31, 2023 · about 1:05 pm local time
- Place
- Liberty Hill, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas Heli CO 530FF, built 2012
- Registration
- N530JR · registry record · serial 0711FF
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During an instructional flight, the instructor reported that they were practicing simulated engine failures and power recovery autorotations. During the fourth practice autorotation, the pilot receiving instruction attempted to terminate the maneuver with power to a 5 ft above ground level hover. The pilot did not move the twistgrip throttle from idle power back to full open and began raising the collective. The helicopter “fell through” and experienced a hard landing onto a field. The helicopter bounced, touched down hard again and spun about 150° resulting in substantial damage to the tail boom and empennage. The instructor reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures that contributed to the accident.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Autorotation Hard landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Prop/rotor parameters › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other person › Instructor/check pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 400 in this make and model
- Last flight review: April 29, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,900 hours in all; 19.1 in this make and model; 6.9 in the last 90 days; 6.9 in the last 30 days; 682 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 760.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 21, 2023; 12.3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls Royce 250-C30 (turboshaft); 1,729 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KGTU Georgetown TX at 12:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 7:56 am from KGTU, 14 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KGTU 311256Z 00000KT 10SM CLR 23/14 A2992 RMK AO2 SLP125 T02280139
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on March 21, 2024. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.