Accident Bell 206B Jet Ranger II VH-SWH, Tuesday 20 January 1998

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Date:	Tuesday 20 January 1998
Time:	09:40
Type:	Bell 206B Jet Ranger II
Owner/operator:
Registration:	VH-SWH
MSN:	1918
Year of manufacture:	1976
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Moorabbin Airport (YMMB), Moorabbin, VIC - Australia
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	YMMB
Destination airport:	YMMB
Investigating agency:	BASI
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
The student pilot landed the helicopter gently with about 10 knots forward ground speed. During the ground slide, the landing gear skids encountered a dirt patch and dug in, causing the helicopter to lurch nose-down. The instructor took control and raised the collective. The helicopter momentarily became airborne before landing firmly. The combined effect of the lurch and the subsequent landing bent the skids, dislodged the aft cross tube supports and caused the main rotor blades to dent the cover to the tail rotor drive shaft.

Accident investigation: