Hughes 500 accident near West Palm Beach, Florida, May 6, 2010
On May 6, 2010 at about 4:20 pm local time, a Hughes 500 (helicopter), registered N5189K, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Palm Beach, Florida (North Palm Beach County airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The commercial pilot's improper flare during a simulated autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 6, 2010 · about 4:20 pm local time
- Place
- West Palm Beach, Florida · North Palm Beach County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hughes 500 E
- Registration
- N5189K · no longer on the register · serial 0095E
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certificated commercial helicopter pilot reported that he was practicing autorotations with a certificated flight instructor (CFI). The CFI stated that the first autorotation "went well," and ended with a "nice cushioned landing." During the second autorotation, the commercial pilot flared 100 feet above the ground and applied cyclic control to cushion the landing. The helicopter "settled abruptly," impacted the taxiway firmly, and bounced. A main rotor blade struck and partially severed the tail boom. No preaccident mechanical anomalies were noted with the helicopter.
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
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 749 hours in all; 345 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,260 hours in all; 6 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,902 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 2,250 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: County Of Gwinnett Georgia
The flight
- Departed from: F45 West Palm Beach FL
- Destination: F45 West Palm Beach FL
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 26R, 3,700 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,700 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from PBI, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N5189K the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.