# Accident 19911014045839A: Snias AS350D, Hilo, HI, October 14, 1991

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 14, 1991, 10:25 local time
- Place: Hilo, HI
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Pwr Off Vert Land/Autorotate
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: ILNA
- Location: 19.6891° N, 155.0798° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=19.6891&lon=-155.0798&mi=10
- Aircraft: N35961 (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: SNIAS AS350D
- Reported engine: LYC LTS101600A
- People aboard: 7
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 2,362 total, 94 in this make and model, 143 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX92LA014](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX92LA014) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19911014045839A

## Narrative

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

HOVERING LOW LEVEL DOWNWIND NEAR EDGE OF ACTIVE VOLCANO. HAD COMPRESSOR STALL. HARD LANDING CHOPPED OFF TAILBOOM.

## 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 LAX92LA014](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX92LA014), Oct 14, 1991: Aerospatiale AS-350D (N35961), Hilo, HI, substantial damage. Probable cause: 1) A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO THE INGESTION OF GASSES FROM THE ACTIVE VOLCANO VENT, AND 2) THE PILOTS INFLIGHT DECISION TO HOVER DOWNWIND IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE VENT.

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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