# Accident 19900401065499A: Snias AS350B, Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, April 1, 1990

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 1, 1990, 13:55 local time
- Place: Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: To Aborted (Fixed Wing)
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: FCYA
- Location: 15.1993° N, 145.7774° E: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Municipality of Saipan, MP, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=15.1993&lon=145.7774&mi=10
- Aircraft: N350AP, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N350AP-1997-10-09) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Aerospatiale AS350B (registry code 8680800, https://openairdocs.org/model/aerospatiale-as350b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SNIAS AS350B
- Reported engine: TMECA TURMO4A
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 6,975 total, 675 in this make and model, 147 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX90LA132](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX90LA132) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19900401065499A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

VIBRATION AND WARNING HORN. DITCHED IN OCEAN AND SANK. A MAIN ROTOR HEAD THRUST BEARING HAD SEPERATED. PRIOR DAMAGE

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX90LA132](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX90LA132), Apr 1, 1990: Aerospatiale AS350B (N350AP), Saipan (Pacific Ocean), destroyed. Probable cause: THE PARTIAL FAILURE OF A ROTOR SYSTEM COMPONENT FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.

## Other reports on N350AP (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 19870728053839I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19870728053839I), Jul 28, 1987: Snias AS350D (N350AP), Nantucket, MA, Minor damage. Loss of power and severe vibration followed a loud bang. Ditched. Drive shaft coupling had failed.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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