MD Helicopter Inc. 500N accident near Louisville, Kentucky, August 2, 2006
On August 2, 2006 at about 5:20 pm local time, a MD Helicopter Inc. 500N, registered N520AP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Louisville, Kentucky. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter and the flight instructor's inadequate supervision, which resulted in a hard landing and subsequent rollover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 2, 2006 · about 5:20 pm local time
- Place
- Louisville, Kentucky · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- MD Helicopter Inc. 500N
- Registration
- N520AP · registry record · serial LN095
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor was providing initial helicopter training to the student, a commercial pilot with fixed wing ratings. The student, with the flight instructor "following closely" on the controls, was practicing approaches to a hover in an open field. After several approaches, they decided to practice a steep approach. About 600 feet above the ground the student began a stabilized approach at 40 knots indicated airspeed, and at a descent rate about 1,000 feet per minute. He then brought the helicopter to a hover about 5 to 10 feet above the ground. The helicopter hovered for between 5 and 15 seconds, before it "drop[ed] to the ground," and rolled onto its right side. The flight instructor further reported that prior to the accident, the helicopter was operating with "no indication of [a] mechanical problem," and the engine seemed to be producing power normally. A witness stated that as the helicopter got close to the ground, "it all of the sudden pitched nose down," and impacted the ground. Examination of the wreckage revealed that both right landing gear struts fractured in ductile overload, consistent with a single impact. Flight control continuity was established, with no anomalies noted.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,028 hours in all; 740 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 1,781 as pilot in command; 282 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 345 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 203 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 1, 2003
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,116 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20R/2 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Louisville KY at 4:30 pm
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,800 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from LOU, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 1 |
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.
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.